January 30, 2025: In response to the devastating stampede at the Maha Kumbh, which claimed 30 lives and injured 60 others on January 29, the Uttar Pradesh government has introduced sweeping changes to ensure the safety and smooth movement of devotees. The tragedy occurred in the Sangam area during Mauni Amavasya, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, when millions of pilgrims scrambled for space to take a holy dip.

Following the tragedy, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath convened an emergency video conference with senior police officers and district officials from Prayagraj and other surrounding districts. The meeting resulted in immediate measures to prevent further mishaps.

The most significant of these measures is the declaration of the Maha Kumbh area as a no-vehicle zone. Entry of all vehicles, including those with VVIP passes, has been prohibited to facilitate crowd management and ensure the safety of the pilgrims. Authorities have also imposed a strict ban on the entry of four-wheelers from nearby districts until February 4, with vehicles being stopped at the district borders.

Additionally, roads leading to the fairgrounds have been converted into one-way routes, designed to streamline the flow of traffic and avoid congestion. Police have been instructed to ensure that key routes, such as those connecting Ayodhya, Kanpur, Lucknow, and Varanasi to Prayagraj, remain clear and unobstructed. The authorities are working to ensure that there are no traffic jams and unnecessary delays, particularly in the areas around the Mela.

In an effort to manage the flow of devotees, holding areas will be established at various border points to regulate their movement into the Kumbh. This will help prevent overcrowding in any one location and ensure that the situation remains under control. Authorities are also increasing patrolling in the Mela area to monitor the situation closely.

As large numbers of devotees are expected to visit Varanasi, Ayodhya, Chitrakoot, and Mirzapur in the coming days, Chief Minister Adityanath has called for heightened vigilance in these cities. Additional holding areas will be created at border points, and all return routes from Prayagraj will be kept open to avoid any disruptions.

To ensure the comfort of pilgrims, authorities have been instructed to set up food and water stations in all holding areas, providing essential services to those waiting to enter the Mela grounds.

A judicial probe has been ordered into the stampede incident, with officials tasked to review the situation thoroughly and implement measures that will prevent future tragedies. Chief Minister Adityanath has also emphasized that street vendors should be relocated to designated areas to avoid any obstruction to the movement of traffic and ensure that the roads remain clear.

The changes, which aim to enhance safety and improve the experience for devotees, will remain in effect until February 4, giving authorities time to implement the necessary measures and restore order at the Kumbh Mela.