After Maha Kumbh Stampede CM Yogi Adityanath Issues Fresh Guidlines | Check Details
The Maha Kumbh Mela, renowned as the world’s largest religious gathering, faced a tragic incident on January 29, 2025, when a pre-dawn stampede at the Sangam area in Prayagraj resulted in the loss of at least 30 lives and left 60 others injured.
In the aftermath, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath convened a late-night meeting with senior police officers and officials from multiple districts, including Prayagraj, Kaushambi, Varanasi, Ayodhya, and others. He issued comprehensive directives aimed at enhancing crowd management and ensuring the safety of the millions of devotees attending the festival.
Key Directives Issued by CM Yogi Adityanath:
- No-Vehicle Zone Enforcement: The entire Maha Kumbh area has been declared a no-vehicle zone. Entry of all types of vehicles is banned to ensure proper crowd management and the safety of devotees.
- Cancellation of VVIP Passes: All VVIP passes have been canceled, and vehicles will not receive entry through any special passes, emphasizing that no exceptions will be made.
- Traffic Regulation: Vehicles from districts adjoining Prayagraj are being stopped at district borders. A blanket ban on the entry of four-wheelers into the city is in place until February 4.
- Crowd Flow Management: Officials are instructed to ensure smooth traffic flow in the Mela area, prevent unnecessary halts, and avoid crowd pressure build-up. Street vendors encroaching on roads are to be relocated to prevent traffic disruptions.
- Enhanced Patrolling: Increased police patrolling in the Mela area is mandated to ensure unobstructed routes, including Ayodhya-Prayagraj, Kanpur-Prayagraj, and others. All return routes from Prayagraj are to remain open and unobstructed.
- Holding Areas and Amenities: Establishment of holding areas at border points to regulate crowd flow, with provisions for food and drinking water for halted devotees.
- Use of Barricading: Effective use of barricades to maintain crowd flow and ensure proper parking arrangements in the Mela area.
- Transportation Arrangements: Deployment of more special trains and extra buses to accommodate the rush of devotees returning home after their holy dip.
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These measures come as the festival anticipates the ‘Amrit Snan’ (royal bath) on Basant Panchami, scheduled for February 3. The Chief Minister has directed the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police to review the Mela area’s arrangements to prevent any further incidents.
The Maha Kumbh Mela, held every 12 years, is a significant event in Hinduism, attracting millions of devotees who gather to take a holy dip at the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers, believing it absolves them of sins.
The recent tragedy has cast a shadow over the festivities, prompting authorities to implement stringent measures to ensure the safety and well-being of all attendees.
