Chennai air show deaths: What went wrong on the Marina

While the entry was regulated, with bus services dropping people off at the venue, and people coming in at staggered timings, the exit strategy was missing, except for VIP and VVIP vehicles

The problem on Sunday (October 6, 2024) did not really start after the show. Indications of what might happen were apparent from 8.30 a.m. itself when a huge crowd turned out at Velachery railway station to reach the beach to witness the air show.

By the end of the show, though, the problem was blown up many times more as the lack of a proper exit strategy put lakhs of members of the public through great distress. While the entry was regulated, with bus services dropping people off at the venue, and people coming in at staggered timings, the exit strategy was missing, except for VIP and VVIP vehicles, as was apparent to any one on the beach.

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Once the show was over, the police personnel were busy regulating VIP vehicles, barricading the route that was being taken by these vehicles. So, the moment people were allowed to move, there was a massive surge, as lakhs of people came on to Kamaraj Salai from the beach in one go. There were no arrangements made to ferry them out of Kamaraj Salai, to different points in the city, as this correspondent observed while trying to make his way out with his family members.

Exit points were few, the usual entry points were all blocked and not opened in time to allow the crowd to disperse fast. So the crowd moved as one, jostling against each other, with the heat and humidity of the afternoon and the non availability of water making things worse.

A number of people could be seen sinking by the side of the road, fainting from the heat, exhaustion or feeling claustrophobic in the crushing crowd. Since the private vehicles were restricted, there was no transport option to get back. The only options were the MRTS, which is nearer, and the Metro, which is far away from the beach. The trains ran on the usual Sunday pattern, and had no plan for extra services to cater to the lakhs of people who were expected on the beach.

It was utter chaos with government vehicles and a few private vehicles being allowed to motor down the road, even though people were thronging the road. Several ambulances were also stuck, even as they tried to move those who had fainted, to a hospital. Family members were separated in the melee, and could not contact each other since the mobile phone signal was jammed even after the end of event. At one point, Additional Commissioner of Police, Traffic, R. Sudhakar whose vehicle was caught in the chaos, got down to regulate the traffic, but this had little effect on the crowd.

A number of people descended on the MRTS train stations in Triplicane or Light House or Chepauk — located nearby — since there were no feeder bus services. It took two hours to reach from Vivekanandar illam to Triplicane station on foot, and as fresh batches of people arrived, others ran out from the station, saying there were no trains. This led to more chaos. If people who reached the platform, and a train finally appeared, most of them found it difficult to board the train which was already overcrowded. Disappointed over not getting into the train, some people started walking on the track.

For those who walked on the lanes of Triplicane and Royappettah, crowds thronged again. While some shops were open for business, they hiked the prices, and soon ran out of stocks. Those who were willing to pay many times extra for a cab or an auto too were frustrated because all their attempts to book the trips were cancelled. Autos standing by the roadside refused to ply in the midst of the crowds. People were waiting at the bus stops, but there were no buses. The roads were choked through Triplicane High Road, Bharathi Salai, Bells Road, Walajah Road, and Dr. Besant Road. In fact on Anna Salai, the traffic went out of gear and remained so at least until 5.30 p.m. The metro trains were crowded too, even at that hour, and it was difficult to board a train.

Published - October 07, 2024 10:13 pm IST