Faridabad: “Loose nut and bolts, rusted frames, visibly tilted support cables, lack of proper safety belts and a few freshly painted arms and axles”—this is how visitors describe amusement rides at the 39th Surajkund International Atmanirbhar Craft Festival in Haryana’s Faridabad, which hosts around 15 lakh visitors in its two-week run.
The fair’s amusement park is under the scanner after the tsunami swing ride collapsed mid-run Saturday, killing an inspector and leaving at least 12 riders injured. A video of the horrific incident, captured by onlookers, has gone viral.
The accident happened around 6 pm, when nearly 26 people were enjoying the ride. Mid-circle, the swing boat snapped from one arm and collapsed on the ground. Minutes later, as onlookers rushed to help, the second arm holding the other end also collapsed. Deceased inspector Jagdish Prasad was helping in the rescue effort when the other end collapsed, injuring him fatally.
Preliminary findings by the police suggest that a supporting pillar/hook snapped mid-air, indicating mechanical failure.
A special investigation team (SIT) has been formed to probe the alleged mechanical failure and safety lapses at the park and the police have arrested Himachal resident Mohammad Shakir, proprietor of ‘Himachal Fun Fair’ company that runs the amusement park, and his associate Nitesh, the operator said to be in charge of the swing. An FIR has been registered on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
When ThePrint visited the fairgrounds Sunday, many visitors stood next to the park entry gates, taking photographs and discussing what went wrong. While the craft fair continues, the amusement park has been shut following the accident.
Several visitors spoke about the poor condition of the rides that they said were crammed together without adequate spacing on the ground, and the generally overcrowded mela.
Standing with his family, Faridabad resident Hareesh Kumar, a regular at the fair, alleged that while companies seek tender worth lakhs, the condition of swings wasn’t reliable. He pointed to some of the rides, saying that a few were tilted while others were rusted and discoloured.
“There are both small and big swings here, and there is no control on crowd, even inside the amusement park. My children have taken the rides, but I only prefer the small ones because I’m present there. The big swings are scary, and sometimes, they go very fast,” he said.
Another visitor, Bheem Singh, a resident of Gurugram, alleged that the jhula operators did not manually inspect every ride. “The idea is to sell tickets and place people quickly, and start the ride. And these big swings have the maximum crowd, which is why such mishaps happen. I have seen nut and bolts that are loose, swings that are not well balanced and seats lacking proper belts. And when you complain, the operators say they will fix it,” he said.
“Operators tend to overload these swings. On the tsunami swing, over 26 people were onboard. And, it moved at an unusually high-speed, only to increase the thrill,” he added.
When asked about the allegations of loose nut and bolts and other negligence, Parth Gupta, MD of Haryana Tourism Corporation that jointly organises the annual fair with Surajkund Mela Authority, told ThePrint that an eight-member Jhula Inspection Committee, which included an electrical inspector and PWD officials, had been tasked with conducting safety checks and providing certificates daily. He added that, going by records, it had been doing so.
“In case the SIT investigation reveals any negligence, either by the vendor or the committee, action will be taken,” he said.
Gurugram Deputy Commissioner of Police Maqsood Ahmed, who is part of the SIT, said that while all safety certificates were being issued daily, and regular inspections done too, police were investigating various aspects of the incident.
He said Shakir was the main vendor who had got the tender from the Haryana government to run the amusement park, and was thus responsible for ride safety. He said Nitesh, a resident of Meerut Cantt, was the operator of the tsunami swing.
A revenue department official from Himachal Pradesh told ThePrint that Shakir’s family resides in Poanta Sahib, while his company is based out of Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh. It provides mobile amusement park rides like swings, pendulums and carousels for large scale events, he said.
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Ride checks & certification
In Haryana, particularly for an event as high-profile as the annual Surajkund mela, permissions for “jhula” or amusement rides are managed by the Haryana Tourism Corporation (HTC) and the Surajkund Mela Authority under it.
The primary body that licenses out the space is HTC, by issuing an e-tender or e-auction, usually by December, and selects a single agency. The HTC issues multiple tenders rather than a single, all-encompassing contract. There are separate tenders for parking, commercial stalls, amusement rides, CCTV coverage, etc.
This time, it was ‘Himachal Fun Fair’ that managed the entire amusement zone. A Jhula Inspection Committee, as mentioned by MD Gupta, inspects the rides and gives certification.
According to the tender document, before installation of amusement rides, the site, exit and entrance points are to be inspected. A fitness certificate from a mechanical engineer or the relevant government agency is required to ensure that all rides are structurally sound and technically safe. A No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the fire department is also mandatory.
The operator must submit the ride manufacturer’s certificate, fitness certificate, public liability insurance and a go-ahead from the Jhula Inspection Committee, that also includes technical experts and administrative officers who conduct daily inspections. The tender specifies that amusement activity should be set up at an appropriate distance from the main stage.
“The decision of the Jhulla Inspection Committee, constituted by the District Administration regarding non-mechanical aspects and safety issues of these rides, will be final and binding on the licensee/operator. The rides which are listed above must pass the fitness test before commencing their operation at site and thereafter on a day-to-day basis,” states the tender.
While Gupta said the amusement rides were operated daily only after the inspection committee’s report, park visitors said the process seemed to have remained only on paper, citing the collapse of a gate at the ground an hour before the swing accident Saturday.
“On the same day, a gate collapsed, and yet, the mela continued to run. Even the amusement park was shut only today, Sunday,” Satish Dahiya, a regular visitor who has seen the swings in full force, told ThePrint.
The gate collapse had resulted in two injuries. Gupta said the gates were temporary structures and the incident occurred due to windy conditions.
‘It broke suddenly’
Assistant Sub-Inspector Sunny was on duty from 10 am to 10 pm at the amusement park Saturday along with inspector Prasad. Speaking to ThePrint, he narrated the events of the day.
Around 6 pm, he saw the riders screaming with glee on the tsunami swing, when suddenly it broke from one end. “To help the people trapped under it, Jagdish Prasad and other officers rushed forward, when suddenly the swing broke on the other end too and fell. Prasad suffered fatal injuries while other police personnel were also injured,” Sunny said, adding that the swing was moving at regular speed and didn’t seem to be speeding. “All the swings were running routinely. Our job is to ensure all rides follow protocols.”
In his police complaint, seen by ThePrint, Sunny states: “Prasad had come from his posting in Palwal district for fair duty, and died due to Himachal Fun Fair Company’s proprietor Mohammad Shakir and his staff deliberately putting people’s lives in danger by not following the safety standards for the swings installed at Surajkund fair.”
On the allegations raised in the complaint, Faridabad Deputy Commissioner Ayush Sinha said: “Daily inspections were being conducted. Unfortunately, in the alleged mechanical failure that took place, responsibility will be borne by those responsible.”
Abrar Ali, a resident of Tughlaqabad who has a shop near the tsunami ride in the park, was also witness to its collapse. He said that around 6.10 pm, he heard a loud noise and left his shop to check it. He saw that the tsunami swing was hanging halfway, with 14-15 people on one side, and the same number on the opposite end.
“I managed to rescue seven to eight persons, and while trying to rescue the last woman, suddenly the swing came crashing down fully, and eventually broke,” he said. “The condition of the swing looked fine, but it could have been overloaded or an old structure. Jagdishji was trying to rescue on the other end, and got trapped under it.”
Not the first time
Saturday was not the first ride accident at the Surajkund craft fair ground. In 2001, at least three persons, including a child were killed, while 18 others were injured when an electrically-operated swing got stuck. Back then, the lapses included lack of basic emergency infrastructure, such as on-ground ambulances and fire controllers. It was after this that the Jhula Inspection Committee was formed.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has taken cognisance of the matter. On the condition of the injured, he told the media that of the eight admitted at Supreme Hospital, four patients had been discharged while the rest were being treated and monitored.
“Instructions have been given to all officials concerned to ensure strict adherence to safety standards at fairs and other public events. Instructions have also been given to conduct a comprehensive technical inspection, fitness certification and operational review of all rides and equipment, and to submit a report, so that such incidents can be prevented,” the CM said.
Officials from the administration said the SIT would assess the fair rides’ structural stability, adherence to technical standards, electrical systems, safety arrangements, approval procedures and maintenance practices.
“The committee will conduct an in-depth inquiry into possible technical faults and compliance with safety norms. Based on our findings, action will be taken against the authorities or individuals,” an official told ThePrint.
While the Jhula Inspection Committee claims to be doing “daily morning check” of rides, the SIT is probing whether these were “signature-only” inspections, as the police complaint alleges that safety protocols were not followed for the rides.
“Standard Operating Procedures will be framed for vendors and the departments concerned for setting up such zones,” Vipul Goel, MLA from Faridabad in charge of disaster management, told ThePrint.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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