PRAYAGRAJ: Authorities implemented a “zero-error” approach to ensure safety and smooth crowd management as the sacred bathing ritual of Basant Panchami got under way at Maha Kumbh. The tithi for the third major holy dip began at 9.14am Sunday and will continue until 6.52pm Monday.
Nearly 90 lakh devotees had already taken a dip at Sangam by noon and a much larger turnout is expected Monday when all 13 akharas and Naga sadhus begin their Amrit Snan in phases at dawn.
The heightened vigilance follows the tragic stampede on Mauni Amavasya Amrit Snan on Jan 29, which claimed 30 lives and left 60 injured. That day, more than 7 crore pilgrims had gathered in Prayagraj for the ritual. CM Yogi Adityanath has instructed officials to ensure an error-free event this time.
District magistrate Vijay Kiran Anand emphasised the scale of preparations, saying: “It is a major bathing day and since we witnessed over 3.5 crore visitors on Makar Sankranti (first Amrit Snan on Jan 14), we expect a similar or higher turnout. We are all on high alert and all necessary steps have been put in place to ensure all devotees have a safe snan.”
Authorities have issued strict guidelines for akharas performing. The mela area, spanning 44 ghats spread over 4,000 hectares or 40sqkm, has been continuously prepared to regulate crowds. A key aspect of these preparations is Operation 11, a specialised crowd-control plan featuring a one-way traffic system, strategic barricading, and increased police presence at crucial points.
To prevent overcrowding, devotees have been advised not to linger at the ghats after bathing or eat food and drinks in the area. Special holding areas have also been set up at key points to manage crowds efficiently. Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad president Mahant Ravindra Puri urged pilgrims to explore other bathing sites beyond Sangam – the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the invisible Saraswati. “The entire five ‘kos’ of Prayagraj is as pious as Sangam. Devotees can and should bathe anywhere, from Phaphamau to Arail,” he said.
A strict one-way route has been implemented throughout the mela area, with devotees entering via Kali Sadak and exiting through Triveni Marg. Until Feb 5, entire mela zone will remain a no-vehicle area, with diversions, barricades, and holding areas set up to prevent overcrowding.
To handle the enormous influx of pilgrims, UP govt has deployed the same trio of IAS officers – Vijay Kiran Anand, Ashish Goyal, and Bhanu Chandra Goswami – who managed 2019 Kumbh.