Mathura Stampedes | Allahabad HC Slams Authorities Over Lack Of Policy On Crowd Management & Unauthorized Constructions
LIVELAW NEWS NETWORK
5 May 2026 4:15 PM IST
The Allahabad High Court today came down heavily on the Mathura Vrindavan Development Authority (MVDA) and the District Magistrate as it expressed severe displeasure over the affidavits filed by them regarding crowd management and unauthorized constructions in the city.
A bench of Justice Vinod Diwakar pulled up the MVDA over failure to specifically answer the Court's query about the policy framework to deal with the unauthorized constructions within its jurisdiction.
When the Court inquired whether there was any existing policy to take action against officers during whose tenure unauthorized constructions flourished, the MVDA counsel admitted that no such policy exists.
To this, the single judge asked the Counsel for the MVDA if it should now issue adverse orders against the concerned erring officers.
The Court observed that while demolition notices are routinely issued under Section 27 of the UP Urban Planning and Development Act, the MVDA had failed to implement appropriate measures to prevent such illegal structures from coming up in the first place.
Taking a strong view of the administration's apathy toward public safety and recent stampede-like crowd crushes in Mathura, the Court orally asked the counsel for the authorities to give it in writing "if they enjoy watching people die".
The bench also expressed displeasure with the response filed by the Counsel representing the District Magistrate, who had earlier been asked to specify whether there exists a comprehensive plan for crowd and crisis management for the city.
Questioning the institutional capacity and training of the administrative officers, the Court orally asked DM's counsel, "In which university have they studied crowd behaviour?"
The bench also took exception to the poor drafting of the affidavits filed before it. "If you could not even understand the order, what will reflect in the affidavit?" the Court questioned. Calling the state of affairs an “unfortunate situation”, the bench remarked that "things are not right".
"Whenever the Court asks you for something, you hand over a couple of High Court and Supreme Court judgments. What policy decisions are you taking? Everything is left to God", the Court added.
The matter has now been posted for further hearing on May 19.