• Source:JND
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Mahakumbh Stampede: A deadly stampede occurred at the Sangam area of Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, during the early hours of Wednesday. The tragic incident resulted in the deaths of over 30 people and left 60 others injured. The stampede took place as millions of devotees gathered for a sacred dip on Mauni Amavasya, one of the most significant days of the Kumbh Mela.

In response to this tragedy, the Uttar Pradesh government has announced a series of safety measures to prevent further incidents at the ongoing Mahakumbh festival, as reported by IANS. These include five key changes to improve crowd management and safety:

- No-vehicle zone: All vehicles are strictly banned from entering the Maha Kumbh fair area.

- VVIP pass cancellations: Special passes allowing vehicle entry have been revoked, with no exceptions.

- One-way traffic system: A one-way traffic flow has been introduced to better manage the movement of devotees.

- Vehicle entry restricted: Vehicles coming from nearby districts of Prayagraj are being stopped at the district boundaries to ease congestion.

- Restrictions in place until February 4: The city has imposed a complete ban on four-wheelers until this date to maintain order.

According to reports, the stampede was triggered when pilgrims, eager to reach the holy waters, began pushing against barriers. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Maha Kumbh, Vaibhav Krishna, confirmed this as the cause of the deadly chaos.

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Meanwhile, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court, calling for national guidelines to prevent such stampedes at crowded religious events like the Maha Kumbh.

To bolster crowd management efforts, IAS officers Ashish Goyal and Bhanu Goswami have been instructed to head to Prayagraj without delay. Both have extensive experience, having played crucial roles in the successful management of the 2019 Ardh Kumbh alongside Vijay Kiran. During that event, Bhanu Goswami was the District Magistrate and Vice Chairman of the Kumbh Mela Authority, while Ashish Goyal served as the Commissioner of Allahabad, overseeing the event's management.

Furthermore, five senior officers with prior experience in managing large-scale events have been assigned to support the Maha Kumbh operations.

Chief Minister's Directives

In the aftermath of the tragedy, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has issued a series of directives aimed at improving crowd control, traffic management, and coordination across departments. He has also called for a review of the arrangements by the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP). Both the ADG and the District Magistrate of Prayagraj have been tasked with ensuring the safe and orderly departure of all devotees from the city.

In a late-night video conference, CM Yogi spoke with senior police officers and officials from various districts, instructing them to closely coordinate with railway authorities. The Transport Corporation has been asked to provide additional buses to accommodate the growing number of passengers.

He stressed that no areas should experience overcrowding, and there should be no traffic or pedestrian bottlenecks. Street vendors occupying roads must be relocated to less busy spaces to avoid disruptions. The CM also emphasised that visitors should not face unnecessary restrictions while navigating the fairgrounds.

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On Wednesday, the state government announced a judicial commission, composed of Justice Harsh Kumar, former Director General V K Gupta, and retired IAS officer V K Singh, to investigate the causes of the stampede. Additionally, the Chief Minister has announced a compensation of Rs 25 lakh for the families of those who lost their lives.

Despite the stampede, more than 55 lakh people took a holy dip by 8 am on Wednesday, and more than 27 crore people have taken a holy dip by 29th January, according to the UP government.

The ongoing changes are aimed at ensuring the safety of the millions who visit Prayagraj during the Mahakumbh, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world.