What to Read in The Hindu Editorial( Topic and Syllabus wise)

Editorial 1: ​​​​Cruising ahead

Context

India’s shipping sector needs strong government support to grow and become competitive.

Introduction

The India Maritime Week marked a new strategic inroad in India’s shipping policy. Once seen as a business, shipping is now viewed as a national asset. The event underlined the need to rebuild the Shipping Corporation of India, strengthen ports, and expand fleet capacity. It also exposed the occlusion of past neglect, where liberalisation weakened state control.

India Maritime Week: A Strategic Shift

• The India Maritime Week, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marked a big policy change.
• The event showed that shipping is not just trade, but a strategic toolfor national power.
• Earlier, India’s shipping sector declined due to liberalisation, privatisation, and globalisation (LPG).
• The focus was only on training seafarersfor foreign ships, not on building India’s own fleet.
• The Shipping Corporation of India (SCI)lost its edge after its special rights to carry Indian oil were withdrawn.

Lessons from the Pandemic

• COVID-19exposed India’s heavy dependence on foreign-owned vessels.
• India could not control or influence its own trade routes during disruptions.
• Private Indian shipping was too smallto handle the crisis.
• The government realised that shipping has strategic value, especially during wars or global instability.
• Post-pandemic, the focus shifted to strengthening the SCI fleetand national capacity.

Phase	Policy Trend	Effect on Shipping
Pre-LPG (before 1990s)	Strong state role	Growth of SCI and Indian fleet
LPG Era	Reduced state support	Weakening of shipping base
COVID-19	Global disruptions	Realisation of vulnerability
Post-COVID	Strategic revival	Renewed fleet expansion and policy focus

New Investments and Reforms

• Most new investments announcedduring Maritime Week were in ports and logistics.
• India follows a landlord port model, where private or foreign firms run terminals and share revenue.
• This system has given ports enough funds for new projects and expansion.
• Chennai and Kolkata portshave begun work on a transshipment hub in the Andamans.
• Projects under Sagarmalaand seafarer training have also gained speed.
• The government now encourages foreign shipping companiesto register ships in India through local units.
• This gives India more leverageand strengthens linked services like marine insurance.

Focus Area	Initiative	Expected Outcome
Port Development	Landlord model, private investment	Stronger port finances
Connectivity	Sagarmala projects	Faster logistics and exports
Training	Seafarer skill growth	Global employment edge
Foreign Ship Registration	Local subsidiaries	Policy control and allied growth

The Missing Link: Shipbuilding Power

• India’s merchant shipbuildingsector still shows very slow growth.
• Little progress is seen in building LNG carriersor green-fuel ships.
• Modern shipyards would prove India’s industrial and engineering strength.
• The day Indian yards can roll out state-of-the-art vessels, the nation will be truly cruising ahead.

Conclusion

India’s maritime revival reflects a mix of economic vision and strategic foresight. Post-pandemic lessons have turned attention toward self-reliance in shipping, shipbuilding, and logistics. Yet, the occlusion of industrial capability remains a challenge. Once Indian shipyards master green-fuel and LNG vessels, the nation will turn this strategic inroad into lasting maritime power, steering confidently into the global seas.

 

Editorial 2: ​​Depressing pattern

Context

A gap between guidance and action can lead to a crowd crush.

Introduction

The Srikakulam crowd collapse highlights India’s ongoing struggle with unsafe public gatherings. Despite existing NDMA and National Building Code (NBC) guidelines, many events ignore basic safety standards. Repeated stampedesat temples and fairs reveal the same pattern—poor planning, weak infrastructure, and no real-time monitoring, proving that the gap between rules and reality remains deadly.

The Srikakulam Tragedy

• The crowd collapse in Srikakulamhappened at a private, unregistered temple.
• The tragedy occurred on a high-footfall day, making it predictable.
• Main Failures:
  • Single combined gate:Used for both entry and exit.
  • Unsafe area:Public allowed in an under-construction zone.
  • Lack of stewarding:Very few trained volunteers to guide the crowd.
  • Overcapacity:Number of visitors far exceeded safe limits.
  • Weak infrastructure:No certified load-bearing structures or safety checks.

Other Major Crowd Disasters

• Hathras (2024):
  • Permission granted for only one-third of the crowdthat came.
  • Poor exitsand weak supervision caused chaos.
• Sabarimala (2011):
  • Predictable surgesignored by authorities.
  • Narrow pathwaysand blocked circulation led to the crush.
• Shared Causes Across Events:
  • Two-way pedestrian flowthrough the same gate.
  • Weak public infrastructureunable to handle pressure.
  • No real-time monitoringof crowd density.

The Gap Between Rules and Reality

• India already has solid crowd-management codes:
  • NDMA Guidelines (2014)– focus on planning and control.
  • National Building Code (NBC)– defines safe structures and pathways.
• Examples of Success:
  • Tirumala:Integrated Command and Control Centre manages crowds with live data.
  • Sabarimala (recent years):Licensed plans and trained stewards in action.

What Proper Practice Looks Like:

• Licensed plansas per NDMA or NBC standards.
• Calculated occupancybased on exits and space.
• Certified structuresthat prevent two-way jams.
• Trained stewardsusing live crowd data.
• Real-time communicationand crowd analytics for quick response.
• Persistent Problem:There remains a gap between guidance and enforcement, causing repeated stampedes.

The Way Forward for Religious Events

• Nearly 80% of Indian stampedeshappen at religious gatherings or pilgrimages.
• Why This Happens:
  • No licence linkage:Events held without mandatory safety plans.
  • Wrong capacity estimates:Based on area, not exit time or egress rate.
  • Poor gating:Temporary or uncertified barricades accepted.
  • Unsafe zones:Construction areas left open to the public.
• Steps Needed:
  • Treat every religious gathering as an engineered system.
  • Make licensing and periodic audits
  • Enforce NDMA and NBC standardsin every large event.
  • Build a policy culture of safety, not just reaction.
• Goal:Only disciplined planning and real enforcement can stop another Srikakulam-like tragedy.

Conclusion

Most stampedes in India are not accidents but failures of enforcement. The Srikakulam tragedy shows the urgent need for licensed, audited, and engineered event management. Every religious gathering must follow NDMA and NBC codes with trained stewards and live crowd control. Only a culture of discipline and accountability can ensure that public faith celebrations never turn fatal again.