Smooth conduct of Kumbh Mela 2027 remains top priority of Uttarakhand govt: CM

Dehradun, Sep 3 (PTI) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday said organising the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar in 2027 is the state government's top priority and directed officials to complete all permanent works related to the event by October next year.

Chairing a high-level meeting here on the preparations, Dhami asked departments to work in coordination, categorise projects on the basis of priority and ensure their timely completion.

He said the works must align with the master plan so that the Kumbh Mela can be made well-organised, safe and memorable for devotees.

The chief minister directed that all sectors, routes, parking, ghats and camp sites be clearly marked for land acquisition and temporary use as required.

He also stressed timely construction of new ghats and repair of existing ones to reduce crowd pressure.

Dhami instructed officials to remove encroachments from government land and roads to ensure smooth conduct of the fair, and to expedite work on the Haridwar Ganga corridor and the Bahadarabad-Shyampur bypass so devotees commuting to the mela can benefit.

He also called for adoption of the 'Zero Waste Concept' for solid waste management, arrangement of adequate mobile toilets, and training of personnel in behavioural skills.

Emphasising safety, crowd management, traffic control and parking, he said efforts must ensure devotees return from Uttarakhand with a good experience.

The chief minister directed Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan to review the Kumbh Mela preparations every 15 days. PTI DPT OZ OZ OZ