40 Crore pilgrims expected to attend 2025 Maha Kumbh mela in Prayagraj

Prayagraj: The upcoming 2025 Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj is expected to draw an overwhelming crowd of 40 crore pilgrims. This will be surpassing the previous record of 25 crore attendees during the 2019 event. The significant increase in expected pilgrims has prompted authorities to undertake extensive preparations. The preparation includes enlarging the event area and enhancing essential facilities.

“The 2025 Maha Kumbh will be spread over an extensive area of 5,000 hectares. To ensure the safety and security of the pilgrims, the mela will be divided into 25 sectors. Each sector will be equipped with a dedicated police station. Over 100 police outposts will be established across the event area,” said Mela Adhikari, Vijay Kiran Anand.

“The number of pontoon bridges will be raised to 27, up from 22 in 2019. These bridges will facilitate smoother movement across the rivers Ganga and Yamuna. Additionally, each of the 25 sectors will have its own fire station,” he added.

To accommodate the expected four lakhs vehicles daily, several parking lots will be set up both within the city and near the Mela area.

Multiple entry and exit points will be designated for the mela area to facilitate easy access for the multitude of pilgrims. Furthermore, theme-based gates will be installed in different sectors. This will enable visitors to locate their relatives or acquaintances based on the respective gate theme.

The Maha Kumbh 2025 is set to commence from Paush Purnima on January 13. The three Shahi Snan (royal bathing days) by the 13 Akharas of the country will occur on January 14 (Makar Sankranti), January 29 (Mauni Amavasya), and February 3 (Basant Panchami).