Maha Kumbh concludes but devotees continue to visit Sangam area

Prayagraj: Devotees continue to visit the Sangam area here even after the Maha Kumbh Mela has officially concluded. Some of the arrangements will be retained throughout the year, officials said.

Neeraj Kesariwani, a resident of Prayagraj’s Colonelganj locality, who visited the Sangam area said, “We couldn’t visit the Maha Kumbh due to the massive crowd, which was a disappointment. However, the pleasant evening weather and the LED lights adorning the Sangam area make it feel like the fair is still going on.”

Many people who refrained from visiting the Maha Kumbh due to heavy crowds are now making their way to the Sangam area.

Among them is Dr Deeksha from Delhi who said "We hesitated to come earlier due to reports of overcrowding. Now, having taken a holy dip at the Sangam, I feel blessed. The only regret is that we missed the sight of Naga Sadhus." She further praised the beautification efforts by the government, stating, "The entire city of Prayagraj looks splendid with its well-maintained and decorated surroundings.”

PTI correspondent toured the former Maha Kumbh Mela site and observed a large number of workers dismantling the temporary structures across Triveni Sangam, Arail Ghat, and Jhunsi.

Mela Officer Vijay Kiran Anand informed PTI that given the massive influx of devotees during the Maha Kumbh, several facilities in the Sangam area will be retained year-round.

These include LED lighting, changing rooms, and well-maintained ghats.

He added that within a fortnight, all tents will be removed, while pontoon bridges will be partially retained for the Magh Mela, with the rest being redeployed to other districts.

Regarding the pontoon bridges, Anand stated that 30 such bridges, comprising 3,600 pontoons, were constructed across the fairgrounds.

Superintending Engineer (Maha Kumbh) Manoj Gupta said that to enhance the experience of devotees and tourists, 485 designer streetlights were installed at a cost of Rs 8 crore across the Mela area.

Besides, over 40,000 rechargeable bulbs and approximately 48,000 LED lights were installed, ensuring uninterrupted illumination.

To provide 24-hour electricity supply, 85 substations of 400 kV, 14 substations of 250 kV, and 128 substations of 100 kV were set up, he said.

The Maha Kumbh Mela, which spanned 4,000 hectares from January 13 to February 26, witnessed an estimated 66 crore devotees taking a dip in the sacred waters. Dignitaries including the President, Prime Minister, and foreign leaders were among the attendees.

Indian Railways invested around Rs 5,000 crore for the event, constructing over 21 flyovers and underpasses while running 16,000 special trains to facilitate the travel of approximately 50 million passengers.

Similarly, the Uttar Pradesh Roadways operated 8,850 buses, setting a record.

For sanitation, over 150,000 temporary toilets were maintained by a workforce of 15,000 sanitation workers, while approximately 2,000 Ganga Seva volunteers were deployed for ghat cleanliness.

Mahakumbh Nagar was the 76th district of Uttar Pradesh, formed on December 1, 2024, which will remain in existence until March 31, 2025.

It was overseen by a district magistrate, three additional district magistrates, 28 sub-divisional magistrates, one tehsildar, and 24 naib tehsildars.

For security, 56 police stations, 155 police outposts, a cyber cell, a women’s police station, and three water police stations were established in the district.