Prayagraj, 30 January 2025: A day after a pre-dawn stampede at the Sangam area of the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj left 30 dead and 60 injured, the Uttar Pradesh government introduced a series of stringent measures to prevent further incidents. The administration declared the entire fairground a No-Vehicle Zone and implemented additional crowd management protocols.
The tragedy unfolded on Wednesday as millions of pilgrims rushed toward the holy waters for a ritualistic dip on Mauni Amavasya, one of the most auspicious days of the Kumbh Mela.
According to DIG Vaibhav Krishna, the stampede was triggered when devotees pushed against barricades, attempting to move forward in the dense crowd.
Five Key Measures Introduced
No-Vehicle Zone: All types of vehicles are banned from entering the Maha Kumbh fair area.
VVIP Passes Canceled: No special passes will allow vehicle entry, ensuring no exceptions.
One-Way Routes: A strict one-way system has been introduced to regulate crowd movement.
Restricted Entry: Vehicles from neighboring districts are being stopped at Prayagraj’s borders to control congestion.
Traffic Ban Until February 4: Four-wheelers are prohibited from entering the city until this date to maintain order.
Senior Officials Deployed for Crowd Control
IAS officers Ashish Goyal and Bhanu Goswami have been sent to Prayagraj to assist with the management. Both played key roles in organizing the 2019 Ardh Kumbh, with Goswami serving as District Magistrate and Vice Chairman of the Kumbh Mela Authority, while Goyal was the Allahabad Commissioner overseeing operations.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held a late-night video conference with senior officials from multiple districts, including Prayagraj, Kaushambi, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Mirzapur, Basti, Jaunpur, and Rae Bareli, directing them to ensure the smooth departure of devotees.
With large crowds gathering at railway stations, officials have been instructed to coordinate with rail authorities, while the Transport Corporation has been asked to deploy additional buses to manage the rush.
Holding areas have been established at border points, allowing devotees to proceed only when conditions permit. These areas will have food, drinking water, and an uninterrupted power supply, according to the state government.
Traffic flow is being streamlined on major routes leading to Prayagraj, including those from Ayodhya, Kanpur, Fatehpur, Lucknow, Pratapgarh, and Varanasi.
A three-member judicial commission, led by Justice Harsh Kumar along with former Director General VK Gupta and retired IAS officer VK Singh, has been formed to investigate the causes of the stampede.
Chief Minister Adityanath has announced ₹25 lakh in compensation for the families of those who lost their lives.
