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Journalism of Courage
In recent weeks, popular tourist destinations across India have seen a surge in footfall, sparking alarm over crowd control –– not just in the usual hill stations of the North like Mussoorie and Landour, but also in less equipped locales. A video shared by X user Woke Eminent captures a swarm of trekkers tightly packed on the narrow staircase of Harihar Fort, raising fears of a potential disaster.
Harihar Fort in Maharashtra, one of India’s most treacherous treks, is located at an altitude of 3,676 feet. The fort is known for its nearly vertical rock-cut steps, rising about 200 feet at a daunting incline of 60–70 degrees.
The viral footage shows climbers navigating the slick stone steps with barely enough space to move, let alone respond if someone were to slip or panic. Some visitors are seen sitting casually on the edge, perilously close to a fatal fall.
“Another major incident waiting to happen? Harihar Fort weekend crowd surge is a death trap!! This needs to be stopped or moderated, else one minor stampede or someone losing balance and it will have a cascading effect – hundreds will fall to their death,” reads the caption of the viral post.
The video has amassed over 800,000 views, with many users voicing their concern about the dangerously overcrowded conditions. One user asked why the authorities let the situation escalate, pointing out, “The Forest Department in Nashik controls it and even charges a fee. They had set a 300-visitors-per-day limit, but that wasn’t enforced. Now, after last week’s video went viral, they’ve reportedly restricted tourist entry – but what action has been taken against officials who failed to act?”
Another person commented, “(Mostly) Unemployed youth also need entertainment. Albeit the price may be their life! Sad!!!”
Many echoed the sentiment that not every scenic location needs to go viral. “Hidden gems should be kept hidden. Else this happens. Request everyone to not share locations, who visits such spots in future,” one user wrote.
One X user drew a parallel with Bali’s tourist-heavy Kelingking Beach. “The path is similar and filled with tourists,” they said, adding, “I doubt govt need to intervene everywhere, it’s usually common sense of tourists to avoid when it seems dangerous. Every time expecting govt or officials will come and guard rail basic common sense will just make us dumber. I wish no such incident but also expect people to follow basic security checks.”
The situation has triggered serious concerns about how India is managing its tourist footfall, especially in locations that are neither equipped nor monitored adequately. This debate comes in the shadow of the deadly stampede at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium that claimed 11 lives during IPL 2025 celebrations. That incident served as a grim reminder of how quickly things can spiral out of control in the absence of planning and oversight.
