Magh Mela to host 120-150 mn pilgrims says UP CM; preparation in full swing

The Magh Mela to be held in Prayagraj next year is expected to draw about 15 crore pilgrims, and will cover an 800-hectare area, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Saturday after reviewing preparations on the ground.

Adityanath said, "We aim to ensure the Magh Mela is conducted with full grandeur and divinity."  Key bathing dates begin early this time. The first "snan (holy dip)" of the Magh Mela will be on Paush Purnima on January 3, while the second will be on Makar Sankranti on January 15, he added.

The third holy bath will be on Mauni Amavasya on January 18, the fourth on Basant Panchami (January 28), the fifth on Maghi Purnima (February 1) and the sixth on Mahashivratri (February 15), he said.

"We estimate that during one-and-a-half month-long Magh Mela, 12-15 crore pilgrims, including the 20-25 lakh 'kalpvasis', will take part in it," the chief minister told reporters.

"Kalpvas" is a month-long Hindu ritual practised by devotees, known as "Kalpvasis", at the Sangam in Prayagraj, especially during the Magh Mela.

Adityanath said the Mela will feature 42 parking sites, 25,000 toilets, 8,000 dustbins, and 3,000 sanitation workers on duty.

To ensure infrastructure readiness, the Public Works Department is laying checkered plates across 160 km and constructing seven pontoon bridges. The Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation has begun work to ensure uninterrupted supply and electrical safety, the CM said.

For water management, the irrigation department will maintain a 10,000-cusec flow at the Sangam, while the Namami Gange unit will oversee purity. The Jal Nigam is laying 242 km of water pipelines and 85 km of sewer lines to prevent any discharge into the Ganga or Yamuna, he said.

Health facilities will include two 20-bed hospitals, 12 primary health centres, and five each Ayurvedic and Homoeopathy clinics, the chief minister said.

A dedicated vector-control unit is also being set up, he added.

Adityanath said security arrangements will include 17 police stations, 42 outposts, 20 fire tenders, seven fire stations, 20 watchtowers, and a full water-police network with a station, control room and four sub-control rooms.

An 8 km deep-water barricade will also be installed. Additionally, 400 AI-enabled cameras and CCTV systems will support crowd density analysis, incident detection and sanitation monitoring, he added.

The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation will deploy 3,800 buses, including 75 electric shuttle buses connecting the city to the Mela area. A tent city is also being developed.

Adityanath said preparations have been scaled up compared to 2024, drawing from the experience of the "Mahakumbh 2025".

The event during the Hindu month of Magh is an annual pilgrimage in Prayagraj, where devotees bathe at the Sangam during auspicious dates, believing it brings spiritual purification and religious merit.

Magh Mela is held annually at Sangam, while the Maha Kumbh is held once every 12 years. According to UP government estimates, over 66 crore pilgrims visited the Maha Kumbh 2025.