ADM inspects Mansa Devi Temple routes after stampede, authorities close stairway
PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun
The Haridwar additional district magistrate Manish Singh inspected the stairway and pedestrian routes leading to Mansa Devi Temple on Monday following the stampede incident that occurred on Sunday.
The ADM has been appointed to probe the incident and submit a report within 15 days with his findings and recommendations to prevent such incidents in future. Acting on the instructions of the Haridwar district magistrate Mayur Dixit, Singh conducted an on-site assessment and reported that several points along the stairway path are narrow and require immediate improvement. He identified areas posing safety risks and emphasised the need for better crowd management. The authorities also closed the steep stairway route completely after the incident.
Devotees are now permitted to descend via the stairway but not to use it for ascending to the shrine. The administration has also kept the bridle path and ropeway operational for movement toward the temple. The officials shifted nearby shoe stalls to alternative locations to ease congestion. Singh stated that further crowd management plans are under consideration to handle increased footfall during peak days.
The temple administration and district officials have started working on suggested changes, including the temporary closure of the stairway during high crowd pressure, especially on weekends, he said. Singh stated that he will soon submit a report of his findings to the DM.
The temple remained closed on Sunday after the incident as a precaution and reopened later in the evening. Police personnel along with NDRF and SDRF teams have been deployed at the site. Authorities continue to monitor the situation and assess safety measures to prevent further incidents.
