Mahakumbh Stampede: The tragedy occurred on Wednesday as millions of pilgrims attempted to reach the waters for a sacred dip on Mauni Amavasya, one of the most auspicious days of the Kumbh Mela.
Special Officers Assigned for Maha Kumbh Operations
Five special secretary-rank officers, all with prior experience in managing large-scale events, have been appointed to assist with the operations of the Maha Kumbh.
Chief Minister’s Response to Stampede
In the wake of the stampede, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued comprehensive guidelines focusing on crowd control, traffic management, and inter-departmental coordination. He ordered the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police (DGP) to review the arrangements for the Maha Kumbh.
The Additional Director General (ADG) and the District Magistrate of Prayagraj have been tasked with ensuring the safe and efficient departure of devotees from the city.
In a late-night video conference, Mr. Adityanath addressed senior police officers and officials from several districts, including Prayagraj, Kaushambi, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Mirzapur, Basti, Jaunpur, and Rae Bareli.
Crowd Management Measures
To manage the large number of devotees at railway stations in Prayagraj preparing to depart, Mr. Adityanath instructed officials to work closely with rail authorities. The Transport Corporation has been directed to deploy additional buses to handle the surge in passengers.
Holding areas have been established at border points to manage crowd pressure within the fair grounds. Devotees will only be allowed to proceed when the situation allows. These areas are equipped with food, drinking water, and continuous electricity supply, as assured by the state government.
Increased patrolling and improved traffic management have been implemented on key routes leading to Prayagraj, including those from Ayodhya, Kanpur, Fatehpur, Lucknow, Pratapgarh, and Varanasi.
Judicial Commission Set Up to Investigate Stampede
A three-member judicial commission has been formed to investigate the causes of the stampede. The panel consists of Justice Harsh Kumar, former Director General VK Gupta, and retired IAS officer VK Singh.
In addition to the judicial inquiry, the Chief Minister announced a compensation of Rs 25 lakh for the families of the deceased victims.
Here are the 5 key changes:
Complete No-Vehicle Zone: Entry of all types of vehicles is strictly prohibited in the Maha Kumbh fair area.
VVIP Passes Canceled: No special passes will allow vehicle entry, eliminating any exceptions.
One-Way Routes Implemented: A one-way traffic system has been enforced to streamline the movement of devotees.
Vehicle Entry Restricted: Vehicles arriving from neighbouring districts of Prayagraj are being stopped at district borders to reduce congestion.
Strict Restrictions Until February 4: Entry of four-wheelers into the city is completely banned until this date to maintain order.
