Mahakumbh Nagar, Feb 2 (PTI) Shaken by the deadly January 29 stampede, top Uttar Pradesh government officials on Sunday emphasised compliance with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's directive of "zero errors" during the final Amrit Snan of the ongoing Maha Kumbh on Basant Panchami.
Adityanath said in a post on X, "Heartiest congratulations and best wishes on the auspicious festival of Basant Panchami! May Maa Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, shower her blessings on everyone, infuse new energy and enthusiasm in everyone's life. This is my prayer to Maa Veena Vadini." In another post, he congratulated the devotees participating who took part in the Amrit Snan at the Maha Kumbh.
"May Lord Tirtharaj fulfil everyone's wishes, empower our thoughts and consciousness, and bring welfare to the world. This is my wish," he said.
The state government said it expected five crore pilgrims to take a holy dip on Monday.
Several steps have been taken to ensure the event remains incident-free, a day after Adityanath hit the ground to assess preparations.
"Operation Eleven" has been implemented for crowd management, one-way traffic put in place for smooth pilgrim movement and preventing congestion at the ghats, barricades raised, and additional police forces deployed, particularly on the pontoon bridges.
Other key measures include increased security at the New Yamuna and the Shastri bridges, deployment of armed state and central police forces at major crowd points such as the Tikarmafi Turn and Phaphamau Bridge, and strategic traffic diversions.
Rail and bus operations have been streamlined with additional services. The Prayag Junction and key city intersections are under heightened security while extra forces, including personnel from the Rapid Action Force and the Provincial Armed Constabulary, have been stationed at sensitive locations.
The government aims for a "zero-error" safety approach, ensuring an orderly and secure Amrit Snan experience, according to an official statement.
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 mela's conduct.
They have joined Vijay Kiran Anand, the 'mela adhikari', forming a trio that was part of the fair six years ago.
The chief minister visited Prayagraj on Saturday, his first since a crowd crush at the Sangam Nose on Mauni Amavasya (January 29) left 30 people 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 to take a dip on the other side.
On that day, more than seven crore people had taken a dip -- the highest for any single day.
Adityanath inspected the incident site and went to hospitals to check on the injured. He also reviewed the Basant Panchami 'snan' preparations and instructed the officials to ensure the event was 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. The police are blowing their whistles in every direction to ensure the ghats are emptied. That is why we left immediately." A mela administration official said the entire police force had been instructed to pay special attention to crowd control.
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, according to the predetermined sequence. We are extremely delighted and proud of the incredible and divine arrangements." The crowd has started swelling for the snan and, by 6 pm on Sunday, about 1.23 crore people had taken a holy dip.
Since January 13, more than 33.61 crore devotees have performed the Ganga snan, according to official figures.
The mela administration has also shared information regarding the designated entry and exit routes. A comprehensive list of the specific bridges and pathways to be used has been made available, ensuring smooth movement for all pilgrims.
Bridge No 28 is open for travel from Arail to Jhunsi. For travelling from Sangam to Jhunsi, bridge Nos 2, 4, 8, 11, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 23, and 25 are available.
For the route from Jhunsi to Sangam, devotees can use bridge Nos 16, 18, 21, and 24. Additionally, bridge Nos 27 and 29 are open for travel from Jhunsi to Arail.
"These designated routes will help ensure smooth and easy movement for all devotees," according to the statement.
Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad president Mahant Ravindra Puri urged devotees to remember that, according to belief, the five 'kos (approximately 10 kilometres)' area of Prayagraj was considered as 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." Basant Panchami marks the third and final Amrit Snan at the Kumbh.
Two more special snans are on February 12 (Maghi Purnima) and 26 (Mahashivratri).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Mahakumbh Nagar on February 5.
Amrit Snan is the grandest and most sacred ritual of the Maha Kumbh, attracting millions of pilgrims from around the world to the banks of the Sangam.
Devotees believe that taking a dip during such special celestial alignments washed away sin and paved their path to 'moksha (salvation)'.
Meanwhile, the entire Prayagraj division medical infrastructure was put on high alert on Sunday with the chief minister's direction that all doctors across Mahakumbh Nagar and the entire division remained vigilant to ensure the devotees' safety and wellbeing.
"More than 1,200 medical personnel are prepared to provide immediate assistance. The entire medical force will remain stationed at the fairground and will be relieved only after February 6. Additionally, a backup plan has been put in place to address emergencies," the government said in a statement.
Swarup Rani Nehru Hospital and Tej Bahadur Sapru Hospital have also been placed on high alert.
"At Swarup Rani Nehru Hospital, 500 staff members have been put on standby, most existing patients discharged, and 150 beds reserved for emergencies. Sixty resident doctors have been placed on 24-hour alert, 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 the hospital, and all facilities are linked to an alarm system for quick response," the government said.
Dr Gaurav Dubey, the nodal officer for medical services at the Maha Kumbh, said the government's emergency response system, particularly ambulance services, was 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," he added.
The government said accommodation and arrangements for food have been made for doctors and medical staff at Swarup Rani Nehru Hospital to ensure their immediate availability.
The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport has reserved 2,500 buses, operating from four temporary depots, to ensure a smooth and orderly return of devotees.
The largest allocation is for 1,500 buses at Jhunsi, followed by 600 at Bela Kachhar for Lucknow-bound passengers, 300 at Nehru Park for Kanpur-bound travellers, and 100 for tourists heading to Mirzapur and Banda, the government said in the statement.
An additional 550 shuttle buses will operate every two minutes to ferry devotees between the temporary depots and key locations near the Maha Kumbh.
The Maha Kumbh, being hosted by the state government, started on January 13 and will conclude on February 26. PTI KIS RAJ ABN NAV MAN SZM SZM