Prayagraj: In anticipation of the Mahakumbh Mela 2025, Prayagraj has stepped up preparations by implementing a number of local initiatives to make it easier for devotees and tourists attending the “Shahi Snan.”

While the region is being decorated with vibrant tents for the arrival of saints to celebrate the Mahakumbh, Shahi Paths are being built for various Akharas.

According to tent contractor Anil Rajguru, the pandal construction is proceeding without hiccups. He said that all of the pandals will be finished by January 14th.

“I came from Uttarakhand,” Anil Rajguru told ANI, one of the tent contractors. This pandal is being performed by Maheshananda Giri, who is Mahamandleshwar and resides in the Sahastradhara of Dehradun. Six years ago, we too visited this place and spent a month here. We have now returned to live for a month in order to support Guruji in whatever way we can. The action has begun. We arrived at the Kumbh region yesterday. Everything has begun, and it will most likely take three to four days to complete everything correctly. Thus, a variety of pandals have been constructed.

“We build our pandals on Guruji’s teachings. Every material utilized to make it is of high quality. Everything is being done effectively. All 128 of the rooms are well-packed and equipped with a bathroom and toilet. Since many of our workers will be here until January 11th, it’s possible that the tasks will be finished by January 14th, and most likely before then,” he said.

The Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, on the other hand, is anticipated to attract a sizable throng of around 40 crore people, making crowd control very difficult.

“The Civil Administration has given us an estimate that around 40 crore people will reach Prayagraj during the Kumbh Mela,” Shashikant Tripathi, the Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of North Central Railway, told ANI on Saturday in reference to the Maha Kumbh preparations. For us, crowd control is a major topic.

The North Central Railway has prepared a strategy to guarantee the pilgrims a comfortable and secure journey. People’s movement will be maintained unidirectional, preventing crisscross movements, in order to minimize disruption and congestion.

Additionally, in order to minimize confusion and congestion, passengers will be guided to the ‘Yatri-Kendra’ prior to reaching their designated platforms.

“In order to prevent any crisscross movement, we shall maintain unidirectional human flow… To prevent confusion and needless crowding on the platforms, passengers would be brought to ‘Yatri-Kendra’ before arriving at their designated platforms, Tripathi said.

Over the course of 50 days, including two to three extra days before and after the festival, Indian Railways will run an incredible 13,000 trains to accommodate the enormous flood of pilgrims for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025. Ten thousand normal trains and three thousand special trains will make up this enormous transportation endeavor.

“There will be 13,000 trains operating throughout the 50 days of the Kumbh Mela, including 10,000 regular trains and 3,000 special trains, plus two to three extra days before and after. For long-distance travel, there are over 700 Mela Special Trains. There will be around 1800 short-distance trains running 200–300 km. For the devotees who want to go to Prayagraj, Banaras, Ayodhya, and Chitrakoot, we are also operating a ring train. “This train will travel in a circuit that starts in Prayagraj,” Tripathi said.

To guarantee smooth communication, transportation, and facilities for the millions of devotees and tourists, the government and railway authorities are collaborating.

From January 13 to February 26, 2025, Prayagraj, the meeting point of the Yamuna, Ganges, and fabled Sarasvati rivers, will host the Maha Kumbh Mela. With a number of spiritual, cultural, and tourism attractions, the event is anticipated to be a lavish celebration.