Page 8 - Kumbh Mela

UP govt allots over 100 bigha land to all 13 akharas for Maha Kumbh 2025

Land allotment to all 13 'akharas' for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 area was on Tuesday completed, an official said here. Additional Mela Officer Vivek Chaturvedi said under the directives of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the Kumbh Mela administration has allocated land for setting up camps for all 13 akharas with the consent of their saints. Three Vaishnav akharas Shri Panch Nirmohi Ani Akhara, Shri Digambar Ani Akhara and Shri Nirvani Ani Akhara were allotted land in the Akhara sector of the Kumbh area. Senior officials and saints from these akharas were present during the process. Mahant Murli Das, president of Shri Nirvani Ani Akhara, confirmed that the allocation was done amicably and preparations to secure the land with tin enclosures would begin soon, paving the way for further arrangements. Chaturvedi said land was allotted to Sanyasi and Udasin Akharas on Monday. Over 100 bighas of land have been allocated to various akharas with their approval, he said. T

Mahakumbh 2025: Facial recognition cameras to come up at railway stations

With around 10 crore people expected to travel to Prayagraj by train for Mahakumbh early next year, several measures, including installation of face recognition cameras, are being taken to enhance security at the nine railway stations here. For the first time, the Prayagraj Railway Division will install face recognition (FR) cameras alongside CCTV at railway stations, specifically for the Mahakumbh, the Uttar Pradesh government said in a statement. These FR cameras, powered by AI, will be instrumental in monitoring suspicious activities and identifying potential troublemakers, it added. With approximately 10 crore people expected to travel by train for the Mahakumbh, the railway authorities are implementing comprehensive security measures, the release said. Prayagraj Railway Division PRO Amit Singh said for the Mahakumbh, around 650 CCTV and 100 facial recognition cameras will be installed at the railway stations in Prayagraj. He further added that the surveillance will cover rout

Mahakumbh Mela 2025 app launched to guide devotees, ahead of Mahakumbh prep

The leading institutions, including IIM, have conducted research to ensure the smooth organization of Maha Kumbh Mela

Mahakumbh 2025 to be 'more divine, grand' than all previous Kumbhs: UP CM

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday emphasised that the upcoming Mahakumbh in Prayagraj would be "more divine and grand" than all previous Kumbhs. This "intangible cultural heritage of humanity" will showcase the rich traditions of Sanatan Indian culture, its diverse social fabric, and people's deep-rooted faith, Adityanath said. The chief minister and Union Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat conducted a review of the ongoing and proposed tourism development projects for the Mahakumbh, Ayodhya Dham, and Naimisharanya Dham in Lucknow on Tuesday, the state government said. Adityanath apprised the Union minister about the ongoing development projects at various holy sites in Prayagraj. He also directed officials to ensure that these projects were completed by November 30 while affirming the state government's commitment to providing every devotee the opportunity to bathe in the Ganga during the Mahakumbh. Zero discharge into the river is being .

Hi-tech lost-and-found centres at Mahakumbh to help trace missing people

Prayagraj authorities are working on a hi-tech registration system with digital 'Khoya-paya' centres to reunite persons who go missing in the Kumbh Fair with their families or group, officials said on Wednesday. The Prayagraj Mela Authority and the Police Department are collaborating on establishing this innovative pilgrim registration system to curb missing cases in the fair, they said. Digital 'Khoya-paya' (lost-and-found) centres will be set up at Mahakumbh-2025, ensuring that all visitors -- especially children and the elderly -- are safe, and no one gets separated from their family or group, an officer said here. The initiative is a seamless blend of security, responsibility, and technology, promising to make the Maha Kumbh Mela a safe and memorable experience, the officer said. The high-tech lost-and-found centres will have digital registration for anyone who goes missing, allowing families and friends to locate them more easily. "Announcements will also be made at the centr

Railways plans to run 992 special trains, earmarks Rs 933 cr for infra

The Railway Ministry has been working on making elaborate arrangements for the Kumbh Mela and has plans to run 992 special trains for the mega religious congregation to be held in Prayagraj in January, a senior railway official said. According to officials, besides running special trains, the ministry has earmarked Rs 933 crore to create and upgrade various infrastructure and amenities for passengers. Also doubling of railway tracks at a cost of Rs 3,700 crore in the Prayagraj Division and adjoining areas is being done at a fast pace for smooth movement of trains. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and his two deputies Ravneet Singh Bittu and V Somanna held meetings on Saturday to review the arrangements for handling the huge rush of devotees during the event set to begin on January 12. "They also hold regular video conferences with senior railway officials, including general managers, of the zones concerned such as the Northern Railway, North Central Railway and North Eastern Railw

1.5K houses to be cleared from catchment areas of Kanh, Saraswati rivers

Ahead of the Simhastha-Kumbh Mela in 2028 in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain, the authorities in Indore have decided to remove about 1,500 encroaching makeshift houses in the catchment areas of the Kanh and Saraswati rivers, an official has said. The decision is a part of the campaign to make the Kshipra river pollution-free, the official said. Simhastha Mela is held in Ujjain every 12 years. Tens of thousands of Hindus take a holy dip in Kshipra during Simhastha in Ujjain. According to Hindu scriptures, Kshipra originated from the heart of Varaha, the boar incarnation of Lord Vishnu. In the first phase, about 1,500 kuccha houses encroached upon the catchment area of the Kanh and Saraswati rivers will be removed, Indore Collector Ashish Singh told reporters here on Thursday. He said that the work of shifting the people from the catchment areas, some of whom have been served notices, has been affected due to rains. It will be taken up in the next five to ten days, the collector said. Singh

UP govt inks MoU for 5,000 special accommodations at Maha Kumbh 2025

The Uttar Pradesh government has signed an agreement with a private firm for arranging around 5,000 special accommodations during the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj in 2025, officials said on Saturday. The accommodations would include homestays, bed and breakfast establishments, and paying guest units across major towns and prominent locations throughout the state, they said. The Directorate of Tourism entered into a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Luzern Ventures Private Limited (OGA) on Friday, they said. "This MoU is a significant step towards realising our commitment to enhancing the tourism landscape of Uttar Pradesh. By combining our expertise with OGA, we are sure to create a diverse range of accommodation options that reflect the cultural vibrancy of our state," said Tourism Director Prakhar Mishra. Another tourism department official said the MoU, spanning five years, solidifies their collaborative efforts to establish and manage a diverse range of ...

Kumbh 2025 to be grander than previous one, says Yogi Adityanath govt

The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh is gearing up to make the Kumbh Mela in 2025 more majestic and grand than the one held in 2019

Kumbh Mela 2025: Prayagraj gears up with new facilities for pilgrims

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to improve facilities and infrastructure for the mega even in 2025 which should be "grander than ever"

Non-bailable warrants against three in fake Covid testing scam during Kumbh

A Haridwar court has issued non-bailable warrants against Mallika and Sharat Pant of Max Corporate services and Dr Navtej Nalwa of Nalwa Path Labs in connection with fake Covid tests conducted

Kumbh Mela fake testing scam: Two Uttarakhand officials suspended

Two officials in Uttarakhand have been suspended for their alleged involvement in the fake COVID-19 testing scam during the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar.

False secularism

Covid-19 restrictions should not be eased for any religion

The unholy side of Kumbh Mela amid a deadly second wave of coronavirus

A new inquiry report has revealed that fake negative Covid-19 reports were issued in large numbers at the Kumbh Mela in order to meet the daily requirement of 50,000 tests

Covid-19 pandemic in Haridwar: Tell-tale signs of Kumbh as super spreader

Haridwar recorded only 149 daily Covid-19 cases on April 1, but on April 23, the figure jumped to 1,115. Between April 23 and April 30, more than a thousand Covid cases were reported daily

Uttarakhand CM Tirath Singh Rawat may take Gangotri route to enter Assembly

He was made the chief minister replacing Trivendra Singh Rawat in March this year, a move few foresaw

In Uttarakhand, Covid-19 pandemic wave presents uphill task for BJP

The new chief minister has rescinded some unpopular decisions of his predecessor

Frames per second: Lost at the Kumbh

Getting lost at the religious fair was a trope for Hindi popular cinema in the 1960s and 1970s, but this year, India lost something greater.

Rush to hospitals, big gatherings worsen India's Covid crisis: WHO

Less than 15% of people infected with COVID-19 actually need hospital care and even fewer will need oxygen, says WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic

Kumbh Mela: Seers keep last Shahi Snan symbolic affair amid Covid surge

The last 'shahi snan' at the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar on Tuesday was a subdued affair