Amusement zone sealed after swing crash, but Surajkund craft fair sees heavy footfall

Faridabad: The amusement park section has been shut but the fair continues.

Surajkund mela on Sunday continued to attract steady crowds, a day after a deadly joyride collapse claimed the life of an inspector and injured several visitors. On Sunday alone, around 2.2 lakh visitors reached the fairgrounds, marking one of the highest single-day footfalls so far, according to officials.


Meanwhile, the incident has triggered both safety concerns among visitors and a livelihood crisis for hundreds of families dependent on the ride and stall operations. Authorities have sealed the entire amusement park area following the accident, have barred public entry and have deployed security personnel around the site.

The closure of the amusement park has severely impacted vendors operating in the area. The section included about 14 rides and nearly 72 stalls, employing hundreds of workers and supporting around 1,000 families. Vendors said they had invested heavily, paying advance fees and taking loans to set up businesses for the duration of the mela. Many claimed they had not yet received clarity from the tourism department regarding refunds or alternative arrangements. Haryana Tourism managing director Parth Gupta said the "park will remain closed till the mela concludes". Daily safety inspections were conducted by a designated committee, including on the day of the incident, but strict action would be taken if "lapses were found", Gupta said.

The rest of the mela, however, remained open, with craft stalls, cultural performances and food courts witnessing regular footfall. Visitors continued to explore the venue, though conversations frequently turned to the tragedy and questions about safety measures at large public events.

‘Record-breaking crowds'

Officials said Surajkund mela has witnessed record-breaking crowds this year, attracting a total of 7.2 lakh visitors within the first nine days. The event picked up strong momentum during the second weekend, with more than 3.20 lakh visitors attending, bringing cheer to artisans, craftsmen, weavers and shopkeepers.The tragedy has left a lasting impact — the accident occurred around 6pm on Saturday.

According to sources, the left-side shaft rod, about 50mm in width, of the ‘tsunami' ride suddenly broke, causing the structure to lose balance.

Around 18 to 20 people were on the ride at the time. During rescue efforts, the opposite side of the structure also collapsed. Haryana Police inspector Jagdish Prasad died while attempting to save visitors, while at least 12 others sustained injuries and were rushed to nearby hospitals.

Many visitors expressed mixed emotions. Ravi Kumar, a Faridabad resident visiting with his family, said the mela remained lively but safety had become a major talking point. Another visitor, Neha Sharma from Delhi, said she initially felt uneasy after hearing about the accident but felt reassured seeing the sealed-off area and additional security arrangements. Some visitors admitted they came partly out of curiosity to observe how authorities were managing the situation after the tragedy.