Yogi's ministers extend Kumbh invitations to Bihar Guv, Nitish

PATNA: Bihar Governor Rajendra Arlekar and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday received invitations from Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh for "Mahakumbh", the over a month-long religious congregation at Prayagraj which would commence in January.

The invitations were extended by Rakesh Sachan and Daya Shankar Singh, UP ministers who had flown down to the Bihar capital for the purpose.

Addressing a press conference here, they said their government was dedicated to making Mahakumbh 2025 "a global symbol of India's cultural unity".

This year’s Mahakumbh will surpass the previous ones in grandeur. The administration has made meticulous arrangements to welcome over 450 million pilgrims, saints and tourists, said the ministers.

They credited "the inspiration and guidance of Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath" for the arrangements.

Sachan, who is the cabinet minister for MSME & Textiles, said, "It would be a clean, healthy, safe and digital Mahakumbh. A pledge has been taken to make the event environment-friendly by declaring it plastic-free Mahakumbh. As part of this initiative, shops of dona-pattal (disposable plates made of tree leaves) will be set up".

He said nearly three lakh saplings have been planted across Prayagraj, with the Uttar Pradesh government pledging to ensure their care and maintenance even after the congregation is over.

Comprehensive healthcare services for pilgrims, saints and tourists will be there, he said adding that a large number of specialist doctors would be deployed at facilities that include a 100-bed hospital.

Speaking at the same press conference, Singh, who is the Minister of State (Independent charge) for Transport, said, "Arrangements have been made to ensure that tourists do not face parking issues. In this regard, 101 smart parking lots, with a total capacity of five lakh vehicles, have been set up across an area of 1,867.04 hectares, which is 763.75 hectares more than the parking area in 2019".

The government has also made arrangements for clean drinking water, an Integrated Control Command Centre, and flower showers at 44 ghats, including the riverfront, he added.

"A riverfront, modelled after Mumbai’s Marine Drive, has been developed along a 15.25-kilometer stretch on the banks of the Ganga. An Integrated Control Command Center is in place for crowd management. Four viewing centers, equipped with 52-seater setups, have been established for real-time CCTV monitoring," said the Minister.