Entire Prayagraj to become 'no vehicle zone' for Purnima snan

Prayagraj: Elaborate arrangements including a special traffic plan have been chalked out for Maghi Purnima on Wednesday and health personnel have been put on alert for the occasion when the month-long 'kalpavas', an integral tradition of the Maha Kumbh, comes to an end.

This year, more than 10 lakh devotees have undertaken kalpavas, which refers to the practice of living near the Sangam area, adhering to fasting, self-discipline, introspection and spiritual purification.

While the fair area has been declared a 'no vehicle zone' from 4 am on Tuesday, the rule will apply to the entire city from 5 pm onwards, with an exemption for emergency and essential services, an official statement said.

To avoid traffic chaos, designated parking lots have been marked for public and private vehicles so that the devotees face no trouble in reaching the bathing ghats on foot, the statement said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday extended hearty greetings and best wishes to the people of the state, the seers and devotees who have come to bathe in the Maha Kumbh on the main bathing festival Maghi Purnima, the UP government said in a statement.

In his message, the chief minister said more than 45 crore devotees have taken 'holy Triveni bath' so far in the Maha Kumbh, which started from Paush Purnima on January 13.

Maghi Purnima on February 12 is the other holy occasion of bathing, he said.

Adityanath said bathing, donation and worship have special significance on Maghi Purnima.

This date is a special festival for the devotees who do kalpavas at the Sangam site. One month of kalpavas will be completed on Maghi Purnima, the statement said.

To ensure the safe evacuation of the devotees from the Mela area in case of any emergency, the special traffic plan will remain in place till the completion of the bathing ritual on Wednesday.

The administration has requested all the kalpavasis to follow the rules and use only the authorised parking lots.

Keeping in mind the convenience of the students, secondary schools of all boards in Prayagraj have suspended physical classes from February 7 to February 12 and shifted to online mode.

Adityanath has issued directions that no devotee, kalpvasi or ordinary citizen should face any inconvenience on the occasion of Magh Purnima, the fourth bathing festival to be held at the Triveni Sangam, a statement said.

DGP Prashant Kumar said, "Traffic is flowing smoothly on all major routes, with no significant increase in congestion over the past few hours. Junctions within the city are also witnessing seamless vehicular movement."

Prayagraj Police Commissioner Tarun Gaba said despite a surge in vehicles at the weekend and intermittent high-traffic periods, the administration and police force have efficiently managed the traffic situation.

He added, "The police and administration have urged all devotees to utilise designated parking areas along their route and avoid attempting to reach Sangam directly, as specific arrangements have been made for different routes."

AI-enabled cameras are being used to monitor the movement of devotees and regulate traffic in the fair area, he said.

Real-time data is being gathered from toll plazas and officials in neighbouring districts to track incoming vehicle numbers and routes, enabling appropriate traffic management, the officer said.

Comprehensive measures to ensure the safety and health of the anticipated influx of devotees have also been made.

All hospitals within the city, division and the Maha Kumbh area have been placed on high alert according to the chief minister's directives, officials said.

To provide immediate assistance during emergencies, 133 ambulances have been strategically deployed. They include 125 road ambulances, seven river ambulances and one air ambulance.

State-of-the-art medical services have been arranged throughout the Maha Kumbh area, offering facilities for procedures ranging from minor operations to major surgeries.

Dr Gaurav Dubey, Nodal Medical Officer of the Maha Kumbh Mela, said over 2,000 medical personnel have been deployed within the Maha Kumbh area, with an additional 700 staff members on high alert at Swaroop Rani Nehru (SRN) Hospital.

SRN Hospital has reserved 250 beds and secured 200 units of blood to address potential emergencies.

All 43 hospitals in Mahakumbh Nagar, each with a 500-bed capacity, have been fully prepared to handle the influx of patients.

The hospital has reserved a 40-bed trauma centre, a 50-bed surgical ICU, a 50-bed medicine ward, a 50-bed PMSSY ward and a 40-bed burn unit.

Additionally, a 10-bed cardiology ward and a 10-bed ICU are fully operational.

For safe return of devotees, the state transport department has arranged 1,200 additional buses, which will be available every 10 minutes, a statement issued here said.