MyVoice: Views of our readers 30th June 2025
Stampede, Rath Yatra, Crowd Management, CBSE Two-Exam Policy, Indian Railways, Public Safety
Stampedes have become disturbingly routine
Three lives were tragically lost in a stampede during the world-famous Rath Yatra in Puri's Jagannath Temple, casting a grim shadow over what should have been a spiritually uplifting occasion. This horrifying incident, coming close on the heels of the stampede during RCB felicitation in Bengaluru, once again exposes the authorities' woeful incompetence in crowd management. Despite repeated tragedies, little seems to change. The painful truth is that stampedes have become disturbingly routine—largely because it's always the common man who pays the price. If there's anything treated as dispensable in India, it is the life of an ordinary citizen. Year after year, warnings go unheeded, protocols remain on paper, and accountability is conveniently absent. Until systemic reforms, strict enforcement, and a genuine respect for human life are prioritized, these mass gatherings will continue to turn into scenes of chaos and death—leaving families shattered and the nation shamefully unmoved.
N Sadhasiva Reddy,Bengaluru-56
Officials oblivious of fatalities during festive events
Every religious gathering has become a potential disaster in the country because of the huge unmanageable crowds. Indians have always lacked discipline. Pushing and jostling to have a darshan of the deity inevitably creates chaos. Three lives were lost in the Puri Rath Yatra stampede on Sunday. The condition of six more is reportedly critical. A couple of days back, there was a glitch in the chariot's wheels and 600 persons suffered injuries. This should have alerted the state administration, but apparently, they failed to take any further precautions. Before every such popular festival, huge claims are made about the use of drones, AI technology and intensified police deployment to ensure that no untoward mishaps happen. But all these measures have proven ineffective as people continue to lose lives.
Anthony Henriques,Mumbai
CBSE's two-exam policy is unviable
The CBSE's 2two-exam plan, which allows students to make a second attempt at board exams and offers scope for improving their scores in up to three subjects will have logistical hurdles. The mandated first attempt will be held in mid-February. The second attempt option will make the students go easy with their preparation for the first attempt. The first attempt's results will be declared in April, which can possibly hasten the evaluation process and thereby create doubts about the evaluation's fairness. Primarily it will put an additional burden on teachers, who get only one month of vacation in May. If the second attempt is to be held in May, then teachers will have to work during their vacation and complete the second evaluation in time. It would have been better if the CBSE Board had opted for the semester system. The entire syllabus could be divided into two parts. This would go a long way in reducing stress on students. The two-exam plan for class 10 board exams from the next academic year does not offer anything new to students and teachers. In fact, this will add to teachers' stress as regards the evaluation process.
Parimala G Tadas, Madinaguda, Hyderabad-50
A safety wake- up call for railways
It's a joyful moment for us that a potential disaster vis-à-vis the Vande Bharat Express was prevented, when it was halted when a 'hot axle' was noticed. One express gratitude to the vigilant gatekeeper, whose presence of mind saved the train from a near-certain accident. He deserves our highest praise and public recognition. Meanwhile, this shortcoming in our railway monitoring systems raises many questions. How could such a serious mechanical issue arise in one of India's most advanced trains? Why was there no automated alert system to detect the abnormal axle temperature before a human eye caught it? This incident must not be forgotten as a one-off case. Rather, it should serve as a wake-up call to invest in real-time safety sensors and AI-based monitoring.
Raees Haneef,Haryana
Railways deserve appreciation
Of late, Indian Railways has been taking incredible efforts to alleviate the sufferings of the commuters in its ticket booking system. One such move that came into force on June 16 is capping the waitlisted passengers at 25 per cent to avoid crowding in trains. The other pertains to online booking of Tatkal tickets only after Aadhaar verification, an initiative that will become effective on July 15. As only Aadhaar authenticated users only will be able to book Tatkal tickets, the role of agents will be duly curbed. Also beneficial for the passengers is the decision to prepare the reservation chart 24 hours prior to the train's departure, as against the current practise of doing so four hours before the train's scheduled departure. The Indian railways deserve appreciation for such passenger-friendly measures.
S. Sankaranarayanan,Chennai-40
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Fresh wake-up call to boost security at congregations
It was a tragic Sunday for three pilgrims, including two women, who lost their lives in a stampede near Shree Gundicha temple during a ceremony pertaining to the Rath Yatra festivities. It is rather unfortunate that lessons have not been learnt from past experiences. The Puri episode is not an isolated case. Alas, the authorities, especially those organising festivities of a high magnitude, apparently do not understand the relevance of the 'once bitten twice shy' sermons. India is a country where millions flock to venues where massive rituals are organised, perhaps in the fond hope of getting spiritual bliss and moments of peace away from the rough and tumble of everyday problems and stress-causing happenings. It is this divine rejuvenation that draws them, especially the disturbed minds, to religious events. What is baffling is that despite many fatal incidents being reported from time to time, the authorities keep their eyes, and ears, closed as if it was business as usual. To put it more bluntly, they lack a humane mindset as they seem unmoved by fatalities in major public events, although most of the horrific incidents were largely because of their own incompetence. If human lives were so dear to them, nay the government of the day, they could come up with measures that help avoid these tragedies. Instead of mending their approaches, the authorities just indulge in the dubious blame-game and do precious little thereafter. This is even though fatal stampedes have become commonplace. It is quite possible that the governments do not bother about chalking out effective alternative fool-proof solutions because it is the faces in the crowd, the man in the street, who get killed but not any VVIP. One wonders what these lethargic officials do if, God forbid, a celebrity or top leader falls victim in such tragic incidents. Of course, the government of the day comes up with lame excuses like 'the crowd turnout was unparalleled this time' and announce compensations to the grieving kin of the victim, while subsequently making a scapegoat of a low-ranking officer for the tragedy. They never accept their follies like woeful crowd management shortcomings and insipid security apparatus. Stampedes, including non-religious congregations, have turned deadly across years and decades like during the satsang at Hathras; at the famed Mata Vaishno Devi shrine; at a bathing spot on the banks of the Godavari river during 'Pushkaram' festival in Rajahmundry; Navratri festivities near Ratangarh temple in Datia district; during the Chhath Puja on the banks of river Ganga in Patna; in Haridwar on the banks of the Ganga river; at least 104 Sabarimala devotees were killed in a stampede when a jeep crashed into homebound pilgrims at Pulmedu; at Ram Janki temple of Kripalu Maharaj in UP's Pratapgarh district, while nearly 250 devotees were killed in a stampede following rumours of a bomb going off at Chamunda Devi temple in Jodhpur. Meanwhile, the Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi has 'magnanimously' transferred the District Collector and SP while also suspending a DCP and a Commandant, who he squarely blamed for the Puri fracas. It is debatable if such a 'punishment' will serve any purpose and ensure that man-made calamities do not strike into the future. After all, Indians lack discipline when it comes to having darshan of the deity, which inevitably leads to unmanageable chaos. Majhi's punishment makes one wonder if it is the same land where Lal Bahadur Shastri and Madhavrao Scindia had resigned as railway and civil aviation ministers, respectively, owning moral responsibility for accidents that happened during their tenure.
