By: Mohit Kamboj, CEO, Aspect Global Ventures & Founder of MKB Foundation
Every year India witnesses extraordinary gatherings. Millions congregate for religious festivals like the Kumbh Mela, cultural celebrations like Rath Yatra, Ganesh Chaturthi and Dahi Handi, or sporting events such as the IPL. These occasions are symbols of joy, unity, and shared cultural identity. Yet, behind the spectacle often lies a shadow of tragedy. Stampedes, uncontrolled surges, and lapses in planning have cost precious lives. With the festive season approaching, the urgency to rethink how India manages its public spaces cannot be overstated.
The question is not simply about regulating crowds but about protecting the very dignity and safety of citizens. Public celebrations should not be marred by fear; they should inspire collective joy with the reassurance that every life is safeguarded. Crowd management cannot be seen merely as a logistical challenge it is a social responsibility. When citizens step into a mela ground, temple courtyard, or stadium, they must be assured that their presence has been accounted for with care. Starting with the principle that every individual matters, authorities can move away from reactive crisis control toward proactive safeguarding.
Safety is not only about preventing accidents, it is about affirming dignity. Families, the elderly, children, and persons with disabilities must feel equally secure in their participation. This people-first mindset ensures that inclusivity becomes the true measure of any successful public event. India today has the advantage of rapidly evolving technologies that, if deployed ethically, can transform how large gatherings are managed. Artificial Intelligence (AI) can process live video feeds to detect overcrowding before it escalates. Internet of Things (IoT) devices, such as smart wristbands or location trackers, can help monitor real-time density and movement patterns in sensitive zones. Surveillance systems, when used responsibly, act as silent protectors of human life rather than intrusive overseers.
For instance, AI-enabled cameras can flag bottlenecks, allowing immediate interventions. Sensor-based alarms can alert authorities if barricades are being breached. Importantly, the responsible use of such technologies must go together with safeguards to protect privacy and civil liberties. Technology should empower citizens, not intimidate them.
Ensuring safety in large gatherings is not a task that can be carried by any single authority. It requires a seamless partnership among municipal bodies, law enforcement agencies, and private event organizers. Municipal corporations must take the lead in planning crowd flows, setting up emergency response systems, and maintaining infrastructure that prevents choke points.
Law enforcement plays a crucial role in on-ground discipline and preparedness. Their training must go beyond forceful crowd control to include soft skills calm communication, conflict resolution, and empathy. Private partners, especially those organizing cultural and sporting events, must embed safety drills, evacuation plans, and capacity limits into their event blueprints.
This collective responsibility ensures that safety is not left to chance but is embedded into the DNA of every celebration. Citizens themselves must also be engaged through awareness campaigns, so they know how to act responsibly in crowded environments. India’s metropolitan hubs Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Hyderabad hold a unique opportunity to set global standards for safe public experiences. These cities are already synonymous with scale and spectacle. By prioritizing crowd management innovations, they can reimagine how faith, festivity, and freedom are celebrated in ways that inspire the world.
For example, urban design that integrates wider pedestrian corridors, multiple evacuation routes, and accessible infrastructure can dramatically reduce risks. Smart command-and-control centres can be established to monitor events in real time. With proper investment in training, drills, and public awareness, metropolitan India can demonstrate that safety and festivity are not opposing forces but complementary ideals.
As India enters a season of festivals, the urgency of smarter crowd management cannot be ignored. Each tragedy in the past has carried lessons written in the language of loss. Now, it is time to act decisively. At its core, safer public spaces mean valuing human life above all else. They mean ensuring that no parent must worry about losing a child in a surge, no devotee fears being crushed in a crowd, and no spectator feels unsafe in a stadium. When managed with foresight, compassion, and collaboration, India’s public gatherings can become what they were always meant to be moments of joy, unity, and shared pride.
The task before us is clear, to build a culture where celebration and safety walk hand in hand, where technology protects silently, and where every citizen feels their life and dignity are respected. In doing so, India can transform its vast public spaces into true sanctuaries of collective joy.