HYDERABAD: With a massive budget of around Rs 6,500 crore and an expected crowd of 450 million, the Uttar Pradesh government is all set to host the Mahakumbh-2025 in Prayagraj from January 13 to February 26.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, addressing a press meet in Hyderabad on Friday, said that people from across the world will be participating in the event.
The minister emphasised that the Mahakumbh-2025 will surpass the previous Kumbh of 2019 in grandeur and divinity as over 45 crore tourists, saints, pilgrims are expected in the pilgrimage.
Addressing the media, Maurya said, “ Mahakumbh will be a digital event, with the latest technology employed to provide state-of-the-art facilities to the pilgrims coming to attend the historic celebrations, which is a part of the rich culture of India. It is a representation of ‘Ek Bharat- Shreshth Bharat-Samaveshi Bharat (One India, Great India, Inclusive India) and the UP government is dedicated to making it a global symbol of India’s cultural unity.”
To ensure a clean environment and the best of the facilities to those attending the pilgrimage, the state government has built ten toilet complexes with 1,50,000 toilets. Additionally, 5,000 urinals and 350 public toilets have been built, along with a restriction on the use of single-use plastic to contain pollution.
“A pledge has been taken to make the event environment-friendly by declaring it a single-use plastic-free Mahakumbh. Furthermore, under the ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ campaign, the message of a single-use plastic-free environment is being delivered to every household”, Maurya added.
Additionally, about three lakh plants have been planted across Prayagraj, with the government pledging to ensure care for them even after the conclusion of the Mela.
To address the medical facilities, a 100-bed hospital has been set up, along with two more hospitals with 20 beds each and smaller facilities with 8 beds were also prepared. Two 10-bed ICUs have been set up by the Army Hospital at the Mela area and Arail.
The hospitals will have doctors on duty for 24 hours, with separate wards for male, female and children and emergency rooms and delivery rooms have also been set up along with ambulance services.
A dedicated website and app has also been launched for the Mamakumbh, with an AI-powered chatbot in 11 languages as well as QR-based passes for people and vehicles, a multilingual digital lost-and-found center, ICT monitoring for cleanliness and tents, software for land and facility allocation, multilingual digital signage (VMD), an automated ration supply system, drone-based surveillance and disaster management, live software for monitoring 530 projects, an inventory tracking system, and integration of all locations on Google Maps.
Former cabinet minister Siddharth Nath Singh, who is also at the event, addressing a question on the Namami Gange project and water pollution by TNIE said, “ We have ensured that there will be no pollution at any level and the whole exercise of Kumbh is carried out keeping in mind to protect the environment, especially the water of the holy Ganges”.
The deputy chief minister also met Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and extended a personal invitation for Mahakumbh.