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Mahakumbh: Mela admin to focus on pressure points on Basant Panchami
Mela administration has deployed a team of experienced cops at these pressure points to tackle crowd pressure
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Taking lessons from the stampede on Mauni Amavasya, the mela administration will focus on 28 pressure points on Sangam nose and other bathing ghats for deployment of extra force and adequate arrangements for the Basant Panchami bathing festival at Mahakumbh on Monday.
After instructions from the state government, the Mela administration has deployed a team of experienced cops at these pressure points to tackle crowd pressure. Along with the civil police, paramilitary forces, including CISF, BSF and ITBP, have been deployed at these pressure points.
“At each pressure point, para-military personnel have been deployed along with civil police to streamline movement of the crowd. From Sangam nose to Jhusi along the vast expanse of 4000 hectares of the Mahakumbh, specific pressure points where crowd pressure is expected to be high, additional police force have been deployed,” said a senior official of the state government.
Extra barricades have been put up along the akhada route at Sangam through which naga sadhus will move to reach Sangam nose for the Amrit Snan. This is to ensure that pilgrims do not cross over to this akhara route in wee hours on Monday when naga sadhus will take this route for Amrit Snan.
On all 48 ghats, NDRF personnel have also been deployed as a contingency measure. All sector magistrates and circle officers have been instructed to ensure proper coordination for better crowd management and quick response in case of any emergency situation.
As part of the strategy, existing CAPF and PAC companies will be reallocated, and additional senior police officers will be stationed at key locations.
Security measures have been further strengthened with enhanced barricading, strategically placed signages for better visibility and an increased frequency of alert messages from the Integrated Control and Command Centre.
Special attention has been laid on deploying additional forces at high-sensitivity zones. Under the revised deployment plan, seven CAPF companies will be relocated from Akhara to high-priority zones. Three companies will be deployed in South Jhunsi, two in North Jhunsi and two platoons at Shastri Bridge.
Additionally, one platoon each will be stationed from Kali Ramp to Upper Sangam Marg and from Kali Upper Sangam Marg to Sangam area. As the event’s focal point, the Sangam bathing ghat will have reinforced security with one company and two platoons of women CRPF redeployed within the circulating area.
This new duty includes one platoon on Ganga Murti Tiraha, one platoon on GT Jawahar and one company on Akhara Marg. Additional CAPF has been deployed in the Sangam area. To enhance security, 12 key barriers and barricades in the mela area have been reinforced.
These include all barriers and barricades along Kali Marg, Triveni Marg, and Nagvasuki Ramp, Ganga Murti Tiraha, GT Road at Jawahar Chowk, and Fort Chowk, entry and return routes of Akharas, all pontoon bridges, old GT Marg, Lower Sangam Marg, and Mukti Marg, and all designated routes in South Jhunsi, North Jhunsi, and the Akhara area.
The administration has identified 11 sensitive locations requiring additional police deployment. These include Tikarmafi, Ganga Murti Chauraha, Nagvasuki Ramp, Kali Ramp, Upper Sangam Marg, GT Road at Jawahar Chauraha, pontoon bridges connecting Jhunsi to Parade, Jagdish Marg, Mahavir Marg, Akshayvat Marg, Triveni Marg, Kali Marg, Chhatnag Marg, and the Ganga Prasar area along the Akhara return route.
