Photo Credit: Reuters
Commenting on Seoul's crowd crush tragedy, SMU Associate Professor of Public Policy Ishani Mukherjee whose research is in public policy said that with a pent-up demand for gatherings and events after two years of distancing and restrictions during the pandemic, people may want to celebrate festivities to the fullest, something she herself has felt. “Good urban planning is imperative to crowd management. And this goes hand in hand with the work of law enforcement agencies who must effectively coordinate regarding the safety of large public events to avoid dangerous situations,” Assoc Prof Mukherjee said. However, there are, of course, times when it is difficult to be aware of how big the crowd has become, Assoc Prof Mukherjee said. “Sometimes, this happens in concerts. You’re in with the spirit of the crowd and there’s a rave, you lose the awareness of how crowded it is for yourself. So in high-crowd situations, being doubly aware of your surroundings is important.”