In wake of Mansa Devi temple stampede, Uttarkhand to draw up master plan for religious sites

In the aftermath of the stampede at the Mansa Devi temple in Haridwar, the Uttarakhand government has decided to draw up a master plan for all religious sites in the state to better manage them and provide enhanced amenities to devotees. 

 

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has instructed the tourism department to get cracking on this.

 

The master plan will include measures for crowd control, entry-exit routes, and other necessary facilities.

 

On July 27, Dhami visited the Mansa Devi temple to take stock of the situation. He had then suggested that there would be a plan in place to prevent such tragedies in the future. 

 

R.K. Sudhanshu, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, has issued orders to the Tourism Secretary, directing him to start action in this direction as soon as possible. 

 

The plan will especially include the pilgrimage sites which see huge crowds. 

 

For the preparation and implementation of the master plan, the commissioners of both the divisions—Garwhal and Kumaon—will play an active role. Clear orders have also been given to remove illegal encroachments, if found, on the routes of the pilgrimage sites. This is to be done on a priority basis.

 

The master plan will include a comprehensive crowd control system and a clear estimation of the carrying capacity. There will be separate entry and exit routes, and additional space for waiting pilgrims. Emergency evacuation plans for every site will also be put in place.

 

Clean drinking water and first aid facilities will be made available for the pilgrims. A well-organised information and guidance system will be in place to prevent any kind of panic or misinformation. 

 

Adequate parking arrangements will also be made. This is a very important point, as at shrines such as the Kainchi Dham, kilometres-long traffic jams are normal. 

 

In addition, adequate security forces will also be deployed in these sites. 

 

The CM has said that crores of pilgrims come to Uttarakhand every year. Therefore, a master plan of all the pilgrimage sites is a must for the safety and convenience of pilgrims. 

 

By developing public facilities around the sites, pilgrimages will become more organised, he added.

India