Guwahati and Concert Economy: What Bengaluru Stampede Says

The tragic stampede that occurred during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) victory celebration in Bengaluru has cast a long, cautionary shadow over urban event planning across India. A moment that was meant to be celebratory turned fatal due to overcrowding, mismanagement, and a lack of preparedness. Videos of people gasping for air, fences toppling over, and chaos at the venue raised critical concerns about how Indian cities manage large gatherings in an age where celebrity culture, sports fandom and public events draw tens of thousands.

As this incident sparked national outrage and conversations around civic preparedness, let us take a look at Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s announcement of an ambitious vision - to develop a “concert economy” in Guwahati, aiming to turn Assam into the next big stage for musical extravaganzas, both national and international. This concert tourism policy seeks to position Assam as a cultural hub and Northeast India’s epicentre of entertainment and tourism. But given the volatile nature of mass gatherings, it begs the question: are Guwahati and Assam prepared to carry the weight of such an ambition?

Urban Infrastructure and Event Readiness

Guwahati has grown rapidly in the past two decades, but its urban development has often struggled to keep pace with its rising population and commercial activity. Road infrastructure has seen considerable improvements, with new flyovers, widening projects, and an Integrated Traffic Management System aimed at reducing congestion. However, traffic snarls, poorly demarcated lanes, and a lack of pedestrian planning remain common. Events that bring in tens of thousands can easily clog arterial roads if not accompanied by detailed traffic dispersal plans.

The absence of a functioning metro system or an extensive bus rapid transit system puts an enormous burden on private vehicles and cabs. On concert days, the risk of bottlenecks is high unless dedicated mobility corridors or shuttle services are designed. Bengaluru’s stampede was not just about numbers, but about the inability of the infrastructure to facilitate the smooth movement of people. For Guwahati, the challenge lies in not just building venues, but building systems of transport, parking, and crowd control.

Event Venues and Emergency Management

While Guwahati has a number of parks, stadiums, and grounds that can be repurposed for concerts, such as Nehru Stadium, the Veterinary College Grounds, or Sarusajai Sports Complex, the city does not yet have a permanent, state-of-the-art music arena equipped with emergency exits, medical facilities and safety certifications. Temporary structures and open-air venues, while logistically convenient, come with high risks during uncontrolled crowd surges, especially during last-minute entry events. (Please note that the discussion is primarily centred around Guwahati, as it is the only large-scale city to handle becoming the epicentre of concert tourism. If Guwahati cannot be effectively turned into a smart city that administers the needed facilities, it is much more difficult for other cities to achieve).

The RCB incident showed how quickly celebratory chaos can spiral into tragedy. If Guwahati is to host large concerts, especially under a policy aimed at drawing “concert tourism,” it must prioritise the building of well-equipped venues with capacity-based crowd entry, surveillance systems, and trained security personnel. Moreover, a proactive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for all mega-events - detailing fire safety, medical response, and evacuation protocols - must become a prerequisite, not an afterthought.

Hospitality, Accessibility, and the Tourism Economy

Guwahati’s ambition to build itself as a concert city is deeply linked to the wider state vision of promoting Assam as a tourism hotspot. Its international airport is undergoing major expansion, with a new terminal capable of handling over 10 million passengers annually by 2025. New high-end hotels are being upgraded, and budget accommodations are on the rise.

But tourism isn’t just about accessibility - it’s about experience. Cities that host large music festivals, from Goa to Shillong, work year-round on building ecosystems of event management agencies, crowd marshals, catering networks and volunteer systems. Guwahati will need to foster that ecosystem to ensure that tourists do not just attend a concert, but experience the city safely and joyfully. Overcrowded venues, last-minute venue changes, poor signage or chaotic cab services can quickly tarnish an otherwise successful event.

The Role of Police Force: A Crucial Pillar of Crowd Safety

A crucial yet often overlooked pillar in ensuring the safety of large public events is the capacity, training and deployment of the police force. The tragic Bengaluru stampede highlighted serious lapses in crowd management, many of which stemmed from inadequate police presence and a lack of anticipatory control. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2022 data, Bengaluru has approximately 191 police personnel per lakh population, which is below the UN-recommended benchmark of 222 per lakh. Assam, however, fares better with around 236 police personnel per lakh. Yet, they are much, much lower compared to other NE states, which operate with 700-900 police personnel per lakh. However, the raw numbers only tell part of the story - deployment strategy, crowd control training, familiarity with event-specific protocols, and coordination with civic authorities are equally vital. If Guwahati is to routinely host concerts with thousands in attendance, the Assam Police must be equipped with specialised training in event security, psychological crowd control techniques, emergency response and must work in close coordination with traffic, disaster management and health departments. A well-prepared police force, present in adequate numbers and with a clear command chain, is not just a reactive arm but a proactive guardian of public safety. Without this, even the most spectacular events risk descending into disorder.

A Call for Civic Discipline and Citizen Participation

Perhaps the most under-discussed element in the Bengaluru tragedy was the role of civic sense - or the lack of it. Jumping fences, pushing crowds, and overriding entry controls were reported widely. For Guwahati to become a city of celebration, it must also become a city of discipline. Public awareness campaigns, sensitisation drives and community volunteering must become an integral part of the concert culture the state hopes to foster.

Moreover, decentralisation of events can help. Instead of cramming every show into a handful of venues, smaller concerts and cultural events can be distributed across the city, from universities to suburban auditoriums, to reduce crowd pressure. Organising authorities must also ensure that concerts are treated not just as spectacles but as planned, civic events involving police, health departments, disaster management teams, and local volunteers.

Vision Must Meet Vigilance

The dream of transforming Guwahati into a concert city and launching a concert economy in Assam is not only ambitious but visionary in its potential to merge culture, economy, and tourism. It can place Assam firmly on the national and international entertainment map. However, dreams must be rooted in reality. The Bengaluru stampede is a warning that infrastructure, discipline, and foresight cannot be compromised. If Guwahati truly wishes to sing to the rhythm of global music culture, it must first tune its city systems to safety, inclusivity, and preparedness. Only then can the beats echo not with fear, but with joy and festivity.

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