Over 110 million devotees took holy dip in the sacred waters of Prayagraj in the first 14 days of the Mahakumbh which began on January 13 on the auspicious Paush Purnima.
Meanwhile, a sea of devotees has started converging in the city on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya on January 29.
Railway stations, bus stops, and highways are brimming with pilgrims, with more than 1.25 crore devotees bathing in the Sangam on Friday and Saturday. The crowd is expected to swell significantly with an estimated 10 crore devotees anticipated to take the dip on Mauni Amavasya.
Those who took holy dip on Sunday included Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav.
"On the occasion of Republic Day, I have come to participate in the Maha Kumbh... I got the opportunity to take 11 dips in the Sangam as per the tradition. This Maha Kumbh is being witnessed after 144 years," Yadav said.
Taking a jibe at the Yogi Adityanath government, the former chief minister said several additional facilities could have been provided from the funds allocated for the Maha Kumbh and visitors, especially the elderly, are facing difficulties as they have to travel long distances.
The entire fair area has been declared a no-vehicle zone to maintain order and ensure smooth movement of people. Barricades are being installed along the banks to manage the crowd effectively.
An Integrated Control and Command Centre (ICCC) has been activated to monitor crowd density and ensure that no excessive gathering takes place at the Sangam Nose.
Special arrangements made at the Mela site included:
- Integrated Control and Command Centre to monitor crowd density
- Quick-response teams to handle emergencies
- Surveillance to track suspicious individuals and prevent untoward incidents
- A campaign being run against illegal shops
- All parking areas activated and equipped with basic facilities for devotees
- More than 2,000 new signages installed to guide the devotees
- Google navigation and on-ground policemen to assist pilgrims in finding correct routes
"On January 30th, a Dharm Sansad will be held for the nation and the awakening of Hindutva... It is a unique experience and beyond imagination... All the saints and Mahatmas here are chanting and even when some of them don't have any facilities...," Bageshwar Dham Chief Dhirendra Krishna Shastri told ANI.
