After a tragic stampede during the ongoing Maha Kumbh that left 30 people dead, the Uttar Pradesh government has summoned officers who had successfully conducted the 2019 Kumbh Mela.
IAS officers Ashish Goyal and Bhanu Chandra Goswami have been instructed to reach Prayagraj immediately to take charge. The duo had played a crucial role in organizing the 2019 Ardh Kumbh, along with Vijay Kiran. At that time, Bhanu Chandra Goswami served as the District Magistrate (DM) and Vice-Chairman of the Kumbh Mela Authority, while Ashish Goyal was the Commissioner of Allahabad and in charge of the Ardh Kumbh Mela. In addition to these two seasoned officers, five more Special Secretary-rank officials with prior experience in large-scale event management have been assigned to the Maha Kumbh. However, as of now, no additional officers from the police department have been officially deployed for the event.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath conducted a late-night video conference with senior government officials, district magistrates, and police officers from multiple districts, including Prayagraj, Kaushambi, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Mirzapur, Basti, Jaunpur, Chitrakoot, Banda, Ambedkar Nagar, Pratapgarh, Sant Kabir Nagar, Bhadohi, Rae Bareli, and Gorakhpur. He directed the ADG Zone Prayagraj and the Prayagraj DM to remain highly alert and ensure seamless arrangements for the fair.
With Basant Panchami approaching, the Chief Minister emphasized the need for stringent security and crowd management measures during the sacred bathing ritual. He instructed officials to ensure there are no traffic jams and to focus on security and convenience for the devotees.
Adityanath also highlighted that a significant number of devotees traveling for Maha Kumbh are visiting other religious sites, such as Varanasi, Ayodhya, Chitrakoot, and Mirzapur.
He urged authorities in these districts to maintain special vigilance, particularly as the crowd is expected to swell in the coming days. He directed officials to set up designated holding areas to regulate the movement of pilgrims and prevent overcrowding.
The Maha Kumbh, considered the largest religious gathering in the world, is expected to attract millions of devotees from across India and beyond.
