Kumbh was chaos before 2017, it will boost economy this time: CM Yogi

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said while past governments made the Maha Kumbh "synonymous with dirt and chaos", this year's festival would bring Rs 2 lakh crore to the economy.

There will be a confluence of faith and modernity in the Maha Kumbh, Adityanath said addressing the media after inaugurating the Digital Media Centre at Mahakumbh Nagar in Prayagraj.

Asserting that the Maha Kumbh was not given due respect before 2019, he said, "Those people had made Kumbh synonymous with dirt, chaos and stampede. This should be a lesson for them. This time, Kumbh is going to be the world's largest spiritual event..."  Maha Kumbh 2025 will be more divine and grand than all the Kumbh Melas so far, with more than 40 crore devotees set to visit this time, said the chief minister who arrived in Maha Kumbh Nagar on Thursday for a two-day visit.

"Maha Kumbh will strengthen the economy of Prayagraj as well as the whole country. The Prayagraj Kumbh alone is estimated to bring a growth of Rs 2 lakh crore in the economy," the UP CM was quoted as saying in a statement.

Terming Maha Kumbh as a symbol of "Sanatan pride", Adityanath, in a dig at opposition parties, said governments before 2017 (when he came to power) did not have any respect for faith. "We respect faith and Prayagraj is going to become an example of how faith strengthens the economy."  He praised the Mela Authority for organising the Kumbh in two and a half months. The CM said 8,000 buses, 3,000 special trains and 14 new flights have already been added for the devotees.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reached Mahakumbh Nagar on Thursday on a two-day visit to inspect the preparations for the Maha Kumbh. The administration made tight security arrangements for the CM's visit.

Police set up special checkposts to check vehicles coming from outside. Intelligence agencies have been specially alerted in the 'mela' area. Suspicious activities and suspicious persons are being closely monitored, the statement said.

Adityanath inaugurated the Digital Maha Kumbh Experience Centre and said it displays the divinity and grandeur of the religious gathering digitally.

The Digital Experience Centre will use virtual reality (VR), augmented reality technologies, holograms and LED displays to digitally showcase stories of the Maha Kumbh, Samudra Manthan, Prayag Mahatam and Triveni Sangam. The Digital Experience Centre is spread over 60,000 square feet at Sector 3 of the Kumbh Mela area and is divided into 12 zones.

Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya and Jal Shakti Minister Swatantra Dev Singh were among the dignitaries who attended the inauguration ceremony.