International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)

ISSN (Online): 2319-7064

Index Copernicus Value (2015): 78.96 | Impact Factor (2015): 6.391

Development of Safety Module for Crowd

Management in Simhastha 2016 in Ujjain
Ritu Shrivastava1, Parag Dalal2, A. K. Dwivedi3
1
Research Scholar, Department of Chemical Engineering, Ujjain Engineering College, Ujjain
2
Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, Ujjain Engineering College, Ujjain
3
Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, Ujjain Engineering College, Ujjain

Abstract: In the past few decades, it was shown that there are various stampedes at places of mass gatherings (railway stations,
sports/political/social and at religious places). At these places, extreme high density crowd may result in disaster (stampede, suffocation
and trampling). Infrastructural capacity poses a challenge in such places. In India it has been observed from the past crowd disasters
that many places have inadequate risk management strategies. India is a country of many religions, faiths, festivals and events. The
population of India is around 1.32 billion, there are lots of mass gathering events being organized almost throughtout the year at
various levels involving large number of people. Kumbh Mela Known as Simastha in Ujjain. Kumbh Mela, is held once every twelve
years at these four places Prayag (Allahabad), Nashik, Haridwar and Ujjain and attracts millions of devotees. In Ujjain Simhastha Mela
is held on the bank of River Kshipra Hence, its named as Moksh Dayni. During the whole period near about 4.2 crores of devotees
excluding Mahants, Saints, Mahamandleshwar and lakhs of pilgrims has taken holy dip in the river Kshipra. Therefore, it is essential to
develop crowd management strategies to avoid casualties. These strategies are not only to provide the way for better crowd management,
but also for better route guidance to avoid congestion, finding the pinch points (high risk points) and determining suitability of the
venue for an event. For developing these strategies and for safer events an overviewproposal of pedestrian simulation is presented in this
thesis which can lead to a good management skill.

Keywords: Simhastha, Crowd Management, Mass Gathering Event, Kshipra River, Stampede, Safety

1. Introduction in which Rs.549 crore for road construction and Rs 171

crore for building of various bridges. They construct four
There are lots of mass gathering events being organized here railways-over bridges to avoid traffic during simhastha.
at various levels involving large number of people. In India, They also construct a culvert to connecting Ramghat and
it has been observed from the past crowd disasters that Dutt Akhara ghat at the height up to 1.5 feet. The height of
having insufficient risk management strategies, one of these the culvert was also increased so that a motor boat can pass
is Kumbh Mela (Lakshya, N. Bolia). According to epic there under it.
was a battle between devas and devils to capture the Urn
(Kumbh) containing the nectar, drops of the precious liquid About 33 MGD water will be required for Simhastha
fell on four places – Haridwar, Prayag (Allahabad), Nashik Kumbh Mahaparv. The government has planned to take 15
and Ujjain. Kumbh Mela, is held once every twelve years at works those were costing Rs 157.57 crore for ensuing safe
these four places and attracts millions of devotees. In Ujjain Simhastha, most of the work includes construction &
Simhasth Mela is held on the bank of River Kshipra Hence, beautification of the Ghats and their strengthening on the
Kshipra River is also named as Moksh Dayni. The Mela was banks of the Kshipra River. Due to these works, bath
Scheduled on 22 April, 2016 to 21 May, 2016. During the capacity increased which will lead to less mismanagement at
whole period near about 5 crores of devotees excluding Simhastha time.
Mahants, Saints, Mahamandleshwar were taken holy dip in
the river Kshipra. Therefore, it is essential to develop crowd 3. Satellite Towns
management strategies to avoid casualties. These strategies
are not only to provide the way for better crowd For Simhastha 2016 as many as 6 satellite towns had
management, but also for determining suitability of the constructed in Ujjain where arrangements for water, toilets
venue for an event, better route guidance to avoid and shade will be made for devotees. For all satellite towns
congestion and finding the pinch points (high risk points) 393 hectare land had been allotted. Entry of passenger buses
(Lakshya, N. Bolia). Finally, an overview of pedestrian and four-wheelers were restricted in the city. Visitors were
simulation is presented that can help in developing more able to commute from satellite towns to religious spots
strategies for safer events. through Magic vans and other vehicles. The distance from
Mahakal Temple is shown in parenthesis.
2. Preparation for Simhastha 1) Buses arriving from Indore road had been stopped at
Nanakheda stadium. (approx 05 Km)
The Government did a lot of work for Simhastha like bridge 2) Buses from Dewas Road at Ujjain Engineering College
construction, Road construction, Railway overbridge, ground. (approx 07 Km)
Beutification of Roads, Ghats etc. The govt. had made 3) Buses from Badnagar at Mohanpura railway crossing.
projects of road and bridge construction worth Rs 720 crore (approx 02 Km)

Volume 6 Issue 4, April 2017

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Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Paper ID: ART20172419 568
 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN (Online): 2319-7064
Index Copernicus Value (2015): 78.96 | Impact Factor (2015): 6.391
4) Buses from Agar Road on RD Gardi College campus. The free WiFi facility also provided by Govt. for Devotees
(approx 10 Km) in Mela shetra, this facility played an important role to
5) Buses from Maksi Road at Panwasa and (approx 08 Km) connecting people to each other by mobile app. Mobile
6) Buses from Nagda Road had been stopped at Unhel played an important role in Khoyya-Paya Kendra.
check-post. (approx 10 Km)
5. Crowd Flow to Ujjain
4. Technologies Used to Control Crowd
In Simhastha Mela, the month-long event, one of the largest
The authorities were planning to make use of the latest congregations of Hindus began in Ujjain on 22 April
technology in order to provide better facilities and monitor 2016 with the arrival of the June Akhara for a royal bath on
the huge crowd. They were trying their best to stay the banks of KShipra River. People from different corners of
organized and pre-planned to handle the crowd, which was the country had converged on the holy city for the Simhastha
to be in the millions. Pilgrims from across the globe were Mela, which is being held here after a gap of 12 years.
gathered at the Maha Kumbh Mela for the Shahi Snan the Ujjain is also the abode of Lord Mahakaleshwar, one of the
river Kshipra. Crowd management is the most important 12 „jyotirlings‟ in the country. The Kumbh or the Simhastha
issue which was handled by around twenty three thousand festival started in Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh coinciding with
police staff and sixty thousand special Kumbh Mela the full moon of the month of Chaitra in Vikram Samvat
volunteers. The 7.25 km long ghats were being renovated for 2073 (April 22, 2016).
devotees and being rebuilt with stronger GIS-based
arrangements. All roads were converging on the holy city of Ujjain. The
devotees and pilgrims who came here to be part of the
An ephemeral spiritual city was constructed during the auspicious occasion from all parts of India and also abroad
Simhastha Maha Kumbh in Ujjain that spreads on four were enchanted and mesmerized to see the sadhus of
thousand hectares of land. Keeping in mind the management different akaharas making a dash for the holy dip in the
and security of the massive crowd, the extensive area was Kshipra River with their hands raised. All were in a trance as
divided into six zones, sixteen sectors and around forty-two they chanted mantras and hailed lord Shiva with the slogan
temporary police stations were created. Along with this, “Jai Mahakal”.
around six hundred CCTV cameras, two hundred fifty-six
and four drone cameras watch towers was installed for The different akharas followed predetermined routes to
surveillance. Twenty-five thousand police officials were reach the Kshipra. The Juna Akhada started the “Shahi
specially appointed for security purposes during the month Snan” at 5.11 am at Datta Akhara. All the 13 Akharas of the
long event. Officials had also appointed twenty bomb seers will take a bath one after another for which elaborate
detection and disposal squads along with twenty-five quick arrangements were made along the banks of Shipra River.
response teams for security purposes. The city police were Some 11 lakh faithful had reached this ancient city for the
also being provided with 2,500 wireless sets for effective First snan.
communication during the clustered event. Authorities are
making all the necessary efforts for a hassle-free visit for the The second 'Shahi Snan' (Royal Bath) of the month-long
devotees during Simhastha. In an emergency of fire blaze Simhastha Kumbh Mela held on 9 May 2016 with Naga
Police had integrated fire stations with traffic control. With Babas of the Juna Akhara venturing into the holy KShipra
head count cameras, it was easy to manage the flow of River chanting Har Har Mahadev. Ramghat had been decked
crowd in different zones and divert them to other locations. up for the holy dip where the sadhus since predawn to 12
Mela authority developed different stations like 25 quick noon will take Royal dip. In Ujjain a sea of devotees had
response teams, 50 Dial 100 first-response vehicles, 20 congregated to take part in the holy snan that had become all
bomb detection and disposal squads and 50 sniffer dogs. the more auspicious as it coincide with Akshay Tritiya.
Also expanded ghats and installed barricades, the Mela
administration had also created a panic button on its mobile According to the government, approx. 25 lakh faithful had
app. Tapping this button will directly alert the central reached this ancient city for the second snan. Snan began
control. The administration also established 10,000 electric with the Juna Akhara.
poles that are uniquely numbered and connected to central
control room through GIS mapping, if an alarm is raised And for Third shahi snan some 75 lakh faithful devotees had
from any place, control room able to pinpoint the location of reached this ancient city & took a holy dip in Kshipra River
the alarm. This numbering in electric poles helps to Govt. to
found missing people as well as to found any disaster
happened near electric poles.

Volume 6 Issue 4, April 2017

www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Paper ID: ART20172419 569
 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN (Online): 2319-7064
Index Copernicus Value (2015): 78.96 | Impact Factor (2015): 6.391

Figure 1: Crowd during Simhastha (Courtesy: http://s3.india.com/travel/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/01-Simhastha -occurs-

once-in-12-years-in-Ujjain.jpg)

6. Traffic Plan Adopted bomb detection and disposal squads was deployed. Most of
the roads near bank of Kshipra River, and near the tents of
The six flying squads had constituted and four temporary the akharas where pilgrims would take a bath, had been
check-posts had also established at the Kumbh Mela declared as no-vehicle zones. Major squares like
premises in Ujjain and its outskirts, which was executing the Bhukhimata bypass square, Kamri road square, Narsingh
enforcement activities to control the irregular transportation square and Shankracharya square had been declared no-
and provided the smooth and safe traffic arrangements for vehicle zones. All types of vehicles would be prohibited on
the devotees. Eighty enforcement staff, including transport routes leading to Hariom Dhaba from Lalpur and
inspectors, assistant transport sub-inspectors, head Jaysinghpura square. Two-wheelers would be allowed to ply
constables and constables was being deployed to control the near Favarra square, Kamri road, KD gate, Begum Bagh and
traffic round the clock. routes like Nai Sadak to Ankpat crossing, Indore gate to
Daulatganj square, and Peeplinaka to Juna Somwariya.
Peak crowd pressure areas such as Mahakal temple,
Barnagar road and Mangalnath road were declared no- On days other than Shahi snan and parv snan Small four-
vehicle zones. Pilgrims had to walk for around 2-3 Km to wheeled vehicles were allowed in male areas. Auto stands
tour camps of prominent seers and ghats. would also be created at many spots in the city. Naya Sheher
and Agar road would be free zones for movement of all
Traffic from Dewas, Indore and Maksi were stopped at the kinds of vehicles. Traffic police had also demarcated routes
Nanakheda bus stand. Devotees then had got light motor for public transport vehicles. However, vehicles coming
vehicles to reach Sanvrakhedi. The distance between fair from outside the city would be parked at several parking lots
area and Kshipra Ghats to Sanvrakhedi is 2 km. Devotees made by the authorities.
coming from Agar Road were stopped at Juna Somvaria and
also carried into the Simhastha fair area by inner ring road Traffic police had instructed devotees to strictly follow the
and main road. Disabled persons were provided light motor routes demarcated by them to avoid accidents and
vehicles and other such vehicles like Go-carts. There are 28 inconvenience. Separate entry and exit routes had been made
ways for bulk transport. from different ghats. Important announcement was made
through loudspeakers installed at regular distances. Devotees
Devotees who entered into the city were provided pamphlets had instructed not to believe in rumors. Traffic police had
carrying information about fair area, ghat, parking, safety, advised the devotees not to push anyone while walking on
drinking water, etc. Visitors had to submit their IDs to stay the road as this may lead to accidents.
at city hotels. There were separate arrangements for
Panchkroshi pilgrimage. There were four zones for the To control crowd during simhastha barricades played an
transportation in fair area. There were no-vehicle zone, only important role. Approx. 10,000 Barricades were used for
two-wheeler zone, independent transport zone and light crowd management. Every four lane was divided into four
vehicle zone. It was informed that 4 drone cameras, 600 parts by barricades – two part is to & fro for pilgrims or
CCTV cameras and 256 watch towers will be installed at the devotees, another part is for the Govt. Vehicles and other
fair. Along with 25 quick response teams moreover, 20 part are for emergency vehicle.

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Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Paper ID: ART20172419 570
 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN (Online): 2319-7064
Index Copernicus Value (2015): 78.96 | Impact Factor (2015): 6.391

Figure 2 Barricades at Ramghat (Courtsey: http://www.simhasthujjain.in/wp-content/ gallery/simhasth-2016-day-15/NEWS-

004-PHOTO-C.jpg)

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