Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar to visit Maha Kumbh mela, says wants to be part of ‘great’ event

DK Shivakumar said that authorities of the UP government have invited him and he will visit Prayagraj.

Updated on: Jan 20, 2025, 08:27:39 IST

By HT News Desk

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Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday said that he will be visiting Maha Kumbh and want to be part of the "great" event.

Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar.

After offering prayers on Sunday at Kapileshwar Swamy Temple in Belagavi, Shivakumar said that authorities of the UP government have invited him and he will visit Prayagraj.

"The authorities of Uttar Pradesh, the Minister of Finance and Tourism met me in Bengaluru and they invited me on behalf of the government. I am visiting and want to be a part of the great event. Which is a historic event going on in the country for more than thousands of years. So I'm very happy that all of them (people) are having a holy dip and see that all good things will happen to the country," Shivakumar said.

As of January 18, more than 77.2 million pilgrims have taken a dip at the Sangam Triveni.

Maha Kumbh Mela began on January 13 and will continue until February 26. The next key bathing dates include January 29 (Mauni Amavasya - Second Shahi Snan), February 3 (Basant Panchami - Third Shahi Snan), February 12 (Maghi Purnima), and February 26 (Maha Shivaratri).

(Also Read: Bengaluru 7 degrees below normal as first rain spell turns city into hill station)

Preparations at Maha Kumbh

In preparation, the police have declared the entire mela area a ‘no vehicle zone’ and set up a traffic diversion plan across all seven routes leading to Sangam (confluence).

In addition to 2,751 CCTV cameras, including 328 AI-enabled ones at key locations like Sangam and the tent city, mela police have deployed advanced AI-powered analytics systems to improve surveillance and manage crowds.

“Approximately 40,000 policemen, including paramilitary forces and teams from UP technical services, have been deployed in and around the mela area,” the report quoted IG (Prayagraj range) Prem Gautam as saying.

He also said that all key locations, including pandals, camps, tent cities, Sangam, and Sanskriti Gram, are under close police surveillance.

Anti-drone system, drones ensure 24/7 surveillance

In a bid to enhance security during the mela, an advanced anti-drone system has been activated, manned by a team of skilled experts. Alongside this, 20 high-tech drones have been deployed to provide seamless, 24/7 surveillance.

(Also Read: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara defends law and order amid BJP's allegations of violence)

(With PTI inputs)

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HT News Desk
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