Prayagraj: Five major changes in protocol after stampede in Maha Kumbh, know…

Prayagraj/Lucknow. After the stampede and deaths of devotees on the Sangam coast in Prayagraj Maha Kumbh, the administration has taken strict steps and made five major changes. Now the entire fair area has been declared a no-vehicle zone, so that no vehicle of any kind will be allowed inside. Entry of all types of vehicles has been banned. CM Yogi Adityanath reviewed the arrangements and issued new instructions along with deploying officials.

According to the information, the administration says that the purpose of these changes is to control the crowd in the Kumbh area and ensure the safety of the devotees. Devotees have been appealed to follow the instructions of the administration and cooperate in avoiding any kind of chaos.

These major changes have been made in Mahakumbh

• The fair area is completely a no-vehicle zone – entry of all types of vehicles is banned.
• VVIP passes have been canceled – vehicles will not get entry through any special pass.
• Roads have been made one-way – one-way route system implemented for smooth movement of devotees.
• Ban on entry of vehicles – vehicles coming from districts adjoining Prayagraj are being stopped at the district border.
• Strict ban till February 4 – There will be a complete ban on the entry of four-wheelers in the city.

Let us tell you that after the stampede in the Mahakumbh on Mauni Amavasya, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued guidelines regarding crowd control and coordination between departments. He has ordered the deployment of Ashish Goyal, who served as Divisional Commissioner of Prayagraj during Kumbh 2019, and former Vice President of ADA Bhanu Goswami to further strengthen the arrangements.

The CM has asked the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police to conduct a thorough review of the Mahakumbh Mela arrangements. He said that every aspect should be examined to make seamless arrangements for Basant Panchami. The current ADG and DM of Prayagraj should take care of the facilities of the devotees.

According to the government statement, five special secretary level officers are being appointed to oversee the operations. The statement said that they will stay in Prayagraj till February 12 to help improve the arrangements. Apart from this, SP level officers will also be deployed for better management and security.

After the stampede in the early hours of Wednesday, the Chief Minister held a video conferencing late night with senior police officers and other officers of many districts including Prayagraj, Kaushambi, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Mirzapur, Basti, Jaunpur, Chitrakoot, Banda, Ambedkarnagar, Pratapgarh, Sant Kabir Nagar, Bhadohi, Rae Bareli and Gorakhpur.

After reviewing the updates from the ADG and District Magistrate of Prayagraj, the CM emphasized on increasing vigilance and caution in the fair area. The CM also sought updates from the officials of Ayodhya, Varanasi, Mirzapur and Chitrakoot about security and crowd management for the visiting devotees. Apart from this, the officials of the districts bordering Prayagraj were instructed to maintain coordination with the Prayagraj administration.

The Chief Minister said that there are a large number of devotees at all the railway stations of Prayagraj, who are preparing to return after bathing. ADG and DM of Prayagraj should take care of the safety of every devotee. In view of the crowd, additional buses of the Transport Corporation should be run. In view of the crowd in the fair area, holding areas have been created, where food and water should be arranged. Electricity supply should be maintained at these places.

Instructions given to increase patrolling on these routes
Apart from this, instructions have been given to increase patrolling on all major routes including Ayodhya-Prayagraj, Kanpur-Prayagraj, Fatehpur-Prayagraj, Lucknow-Pratapgarh-Prayagraj and Varanasi-Prayagraj. Traffic should remain smooth in the Mahakumbh Mela area. Avoid unnecessary halts. If the street vendors are occupying the road, they should be shifted.

The Chief Minister said that the next Amrit Snan is on Basant Panchami on February 3. Lakhs of devotees coming to Maha Kumbh are also going to Varanasi and Ayodhya for darshan and worship, while many are going to Chitrakoot and Mirzapur. It is necessary to increase vigilance in these cities in the next two days. Holding areas should be created. Barricading should be used effectively, traffic management should be improved and adequate parking arrangements should be made.