Ahmedabad: Entry to Ahmedabad’s Kankaria Carnival 2025 was temporarily suspended on Saturday after visitor numbers reached the venue’s capacity limit, with nearly one lakh people present simultaneously due to overwhelming attendance.
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC)-organized carnival, running from December 25 to 31, experienced its most crowded day on its third evening when authorities had no choice but to halt admissions at all entry points to control the situation.
Weekend draws unprecedented visitor surge
Saturday, December 27, being a weekend, attracted an extraordinary influx of attendees, with residents from Ahmedabad and surrounding areas flooding the lakefront to participate in the celebrations.
Officials estimated that between 80,000 and one lakh individuals had assembled within and around the carnival grounds by late evening, creating significant crowd density. As congestion intensified and pedestrian movement became challenging, all seven entrance gates were shut temporarily as a crowd control strategy.
AMC representatives stated the measure was implemented prioritizing public safety, enabling emergency vehicle access, and preventing potential incidents.
Safety measures prevent major incidents
Despite the enormous attendance, no serious mishaps occurred at the location. However, Ahmedabad Police reported that 52 children became separated from their guardians amid the thick crowds during the carnival’s first three days. Authorities confirmed all minors were successfully reunited with their families through prompt assistance from police officers and SHE Teams using control room coordination and public address systems.
For crowd management at the event, Maninagar police have implemented comprehensive security measures including six drones for overhead monitoring, three control rooms overseeing the entire area via CCTV networks, three police assistance centers, 11 plainclothes SHE Teams dedicated to protecting women and children, and two Missing Cell teams for rapid tracing of lost individuals.
AMC also highlighted that each of the seven entrance gates features head-count cameras recording live data on incoming and outgoing visitors, enabling officials to track crowd density remotely and make informed decisions promptly.
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