Trainee IPS officers from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy, Hyderabad, are getting hands-on training on crowd and traffic management from police officials at the ongoing Magh Mela.
A group of 20 young IPS officers hailing from Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, saw how entry and exit points of a moving crowd are controlled, how and where parking slots can be strategically set up, and movement of crowds on temporary pontoon bridges.
“A delegation of trainee IPS officers arrived on the Mela campus on Thursday to learn crowd and traffic management skills and left for Hyderabad on Friday. They also learnt about coordination among different departments, security plans, parking management, diversion plans, and budget at length,” deputy inspector general of police (Magh Mela) Rajeev Narain Mishra said.
They also learnt about schemes to regulate the flow of devotees at ghats and their safe return, he said.
Mela police officials offered them useful tips on how to ensure security and safety of crowds as huge as have been reaching the banks of Ganga daily during the 54-day annual fair. Mishra said that policemen from other states too have gained experience by joining the Mela police in handling the large congregation.
“They were taught how to control crowds without the use of batons or sticks or any weapon and told to be soft spoken while urging devotees to follow the guidelines,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“They were taught how to control crowds without the use of batons or sticks or any weapon and told to be soft spoken while urging devotees to follow the guidelines,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}At the 12 ghats, personnel of Jal Police and PAC (flood control) turn into guides and mela mitras for devotees to check drowning as well as work to reunite those who get lost. As ghats are not permanent compared to Nasik, Ujjain and Haridwar, police personnel must remain more alert.
“The mela police also told trainee IPS officials about the challenges being faced during main bathing days and what steps they take in advance to handle the situation,” the DIG said.
Policemen on Mela duty also shared their experience and work culture with trainee IPS officials