CAG report blames railways for 2013 Kumbh Mela stampede

New Delhi, Nov 28: The lack of proper coordination and disaster management plan on the part of railways resulted in the stampede at Allahabad station during last year's Maha Kumbh Mela in which 37 persons were killed, the CAG has said.

"There was no Railway Disaster Management Plan for Kumbh Mela," the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) said in its latest report tabled in Parliament today.

During Shahi Snan when the state government expected about 3.05 crore pilgrims to visit the mela and 4.10 lakh passengers to utilise trains, a major stampede took place at platform No. 6 of Allahabad station that resulted in loss of 37 lives and injuries to 48.

The CAG, while reviewing the arrangements, observed the lack of proper coordination with the state administration by railways. "Railway administration failed to establish proper coordination with the state government authorities for crowd management at station," the report said.

The CAG has found that railways failed to block the influx of pilgrims towards station including their diversion to designated mela stations which led to build up of a huge crowd at Allahabad station itself. Maha Kumbh Mela 2013 was held from January 14 to March 10 at Allahabad wherein 12 crore pilgrims participated.

To handle the rush of pilgrims the three zonal railways - North Central, Northern and North Eastern - made special arrangements for the pilgrims such as running special trains, provisions for safety and security, besides providing other basic amenities.

According to the CAG report, the Mela officer of NCR zone was required to coordinate with nodal officers of the other two zones for the running of special trains and to divert pilgrim traffic from Allahabad to the other Mela stations. However, CAG noted that no document for it was available.

The CAG also noted shortfall in deployment of security staff during the Mela. "There was a shortfall of 33 per cent in deployment of security staff at Allahabad station to ensure safety and security of passengers... On the day of stampede this shortfall in deployment was 48 per cent," it said.

PTI