Mahakumbh Nagar: Shaken by the deadly January 29 stampede, top Uttar Pradesh government officials on Sunday stressed the compliance of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s directive of “zero-error” during the ongoing Maha Kumbh’s final ‘Amrit Snan’ on Basant Panchami.
The government said it expects five crore pilgrims to take the holy dip Monday, and several steps has been taken to ensure the event remains incident-free.
“Operation Eleven” has been implemented for crowd management, one-way traffic system has been put in place in the mela area for smooth movement for pilgrims and preventing congestion at Triveni Ghats, barricades have been raised, and additional police forces deployed, particularly on pontoon bridges, to avoid any mishap.
Other key measures include increased security at the New Yamuna and Shastri bridges, deployment of armed state and central police forces at major crowd points like Tikarmafi Turn and Phaphamau Bridge, and strategic traffic diversions.
Rail and bus operations have been streamlined, with additional trains and shuttle services for devotees. The Prayag Junction and key city intersections are under heightened security, while extra forces including Rapid Action Force and Provincial Armed Constabulary personnel, have been stationed at sensitive locations.
The government aims a “zero-error” safety approach, ensuring an orderly and secure ‘Amrit Snan’ experience, according to an official statement.
Two senior IAS officers Ashish Goyal and Bhanu Chandra Goswami, who were part of the team that successfully conducted the 2019 Ardh Kumbh, have been called in to oversee the smooth conduct of the Mela. They have joined Mela Adhikari Vijay Kiran Anand, forming a trio that was part of the mega fair six years ago.
The chief minister visited Prayagraj on Saturday, his first since the tragic crowd crush at Sangam Nose on Mauni Amavasya (January 29) which left 30 dead and 60 injured. Police said overcrowding caused the stampede as the devotees jostled for space, breaking a barrier and falling onto those sitting and waiting on the other side to take a holy dip.
On that day, more than seven crore people had taken the holy dip — the highest for any single day — although the government expected 10 crore pilgrims.
Adityanath inspected the incident site and went to hospitals to check on the condition of the injured. He also reviewed the Basant Panchami snan preparations and instructed officials to ensure the event is executed “without any errors”.
Rupam Chandra, a devotee returning after taking a holy dip, told PTI, “After bathing at the Sangam ghat, devotees are being cleared away. Police are blowing their whistles in every direction to ensure the ghats are emptied. That is why we left immediately after bathing.”
An official from the Mela administration said the entire police force has been instructed to pay special attention to crowd control throughout the fair area.
Peethadheeshwar of Juna Akhara, Swami Avdheshanand Giri, spoke about the Amrit Snan on Basant Panchami. “After Mauni Amavasya, all Akharas will participate in the Amrit Snan on Basant Panchami as per the predetermined sequence. We are extremely delighted and proud of the incredible and divine arrangements of the Maha Kumbh.”
The crowd of devotees for the Basant Panchami Snan has started swelling, and by 6 PM on Sunday, 1.23 crore people had already taken a holy dip in the Ganga and at the Sangam. Since January 13, more than 33.61 crore devotees have performed the Ganga Snan, according to official figures.
Meanwhile, President of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, Mahant Ravindra Puri, urged devotees to remember that, according to belief, the five ‘kos’ (approximately 10 km) area of Prayagraj is considered the Sangam.
Therefore, devotees can attain the spiritual benefits of the Maha Kumbh by bathing anywhere from Phaphamau to Arail. “The Sangam area has limited space, so I request all devotees to avoid unnecessary crowding in the Sangam region,” Puri added.
Basant Panchami marks the third and the final Amrit Snan date at the Kumbh.Two more special snans are on February 12 (Maghi Purnima) and 26 (Mahashivratri).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit the Mahakumbh Nagar on February 5, and therefore, the next few days are expected to be challenging for the Mela administration and the police.
The Amrit Snan is the grandest and most sacred ritual of the Maha Kumbh Mela, attracting millions of pilgrims from around the world to the banks of the Triveni Sangam. Devotees believe that taking a dip during such special celestial alignments washes away their sins and paves their path to the ‘moksha’ or salvation.
Meanwhile, the entire Prayagraj division’s medical infrastructure was put on high alert on Sunday with the CM’s direction that all doctors across the Mahakumbh Nagar and the entire division remain vigilant to ensure the safety and well-being of devotees.
“Over 1,200 medical personnel are fully prepared in the Mahakumbh Nagar to provide immediate assistance. The entire medical force will remain stationed at the fairground and will only be relieved after February 6. Additionally, a backup plan has been put in place to address any emergencies,” the government said in a statement. Similarly, Swarup Rani Nehru Hospital and Tej Bahadur Sapru Hospital have been placed on high alert.
“At Swarup Rani Nehru Hospital, 500 staff members have been put on standby, most existing patients have been discharged, and 150 beds have been reserved for emergencies. Sixty resident doctors have been placed on 24-hour alert mode, 30 CT scan machines are ready, along with MRI and ultrasound facilities, ensuring all necessary tests can be conducted. A 200-unit blood bank has also been set up at SRN Hospital, and all facilities are linked to an alarm system for quick response,” it added.
Dr. Gaurav Dubey, the nodal officer for medical services at the Maha Kummbh fair, said that the government’s emergency response system, particularly ambulance services, is playing a crucial role.
“In case of need, patients will be transferred to Swarup Rani Nehru Hospital or Tej Bahadur Sapru Hospital (Bailey Hospital). Medical teams across Prayagraj, the division, and Mahakumbh Nagar are fully prepared,” he said.
“The chief minister has instructed that no doctor or medical staff should leave their post until February 5. Over 1,200 doctors and paramedical staff have been deployed for the event,” he added.
The government said accommodation and food arrangements have been made for doctors and medical staff at Swarup Rani Nehru Hospital to ensure their immediate availability.
In addition, the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport (UPSRTC) has reserved 2,500 buses, operating from four temporary bus stations, to ensure a smooth and orderly return of devotees, the statement said.
The largest allocation is 1,500 buses at Jhunsi, followed by 600 at Bela Kachhar for Lucknow-bound passengers, 300 at Nehru Park for Kanpur-bound travelers, and 100 buses for tourists heading to Mirzapur and Banda, it said.
Additionally, 550 shuttle buses will be operating every two minutes to ferry devotees between the temporary bus stations and key locations near Maha Kumbh.
The Maha Kumbh, being hosted by the UP government, started on January 13 and will continue till February 26.
