LUCKNOW Ahead of the world’s largest religious gathering, a comprehensive traffic plan has been formulated for the Mahakumbh in tune with chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s directives for seamless transportation arrangements for pilgrims visiting the mega fair. This includes an AI-driven smart parking management system, steps to prevent overcrowding at key locations and monitoring of entry points for safety and convenience of pilgrims.
Separate entry and exit routes have been established for all major seven routes leading to the Mela area and the number of parking zones have been increased to facilitate prompt vehicle movement, with a strong emphasis on unidirectional traffic flow. Separate routes have been allocated for pilgrims arriving by rail, buses, or private vehicles.
Parking zones are strategically located at 1–2 km away from the bathing ghats, equipped with all essential amenities.
To prepare this plan, the UP government had issued a G.O. on August 25, 2023, constituting a 24-member advisory committee under the chairmanship of the ADG (Prayagraj Zone). This committee was tasked with ensuring proper management, traffic control and other arrangements related to the fair, said a state government spokesperson.
The committee conducted six meetings, and two consultations with stakeholders in Prayagraj. Based on the deliberations, a traffic plan has been developed to facilitate smooth and safe movement of devotees.
{{/usCountry}}The committee conducted six meetings, and two consultations with stakeholders in Prayagraj. Based on the deliberations, a traffic plan has been developed to facilitate smooth and safe movement of devotees.
{{/usCountry}}An auto-tech app, Park+, announced the launch of Prayagraj’s first smart parking management system for the Mahakumbh. Pilgrims visiting Prayagraj can use the app to easily discover, book and prepay for a car parking spot at a government approved parking area. Car owners will also be able to use their FASTag on their car to pay for a parking spot, without any human intervention, a first of its kind initiative in Prayagraj.
By downloading the app, users can discover, book, and pre-pay for a safe and secure parking spot at various locations, including Navprayagam (East and West), Tent City, Agriculture Institute, and Saraswati Hi-Tech City East 1. With over 30+ parking sites and a capacity of 5,00,000 vehicles around the Araili Ghat area, parking is set to be a smooth process.
“There will be a range of amenities for a safe and comfortable experience. These include 24x7 security with CCTV and guards, EV charging stations, F&B facilities, clean washrooms, and medical support staff. Vehicle maintenance stalls are also available to ensure a hassle-free journey. These services cater to the needs of pilgrims, providing a seamless and worry-free experience at all locations,” said Amit Lakhotia, founder and CEO, Park+.
“Proud to partner with the Kumbh Mela authority to bring our AI powered Park+ smart parking solutions to Mahakumbh, Prayagraj. Additionally, our AI powered systems will be able to predict parking patterns, parking fill rates, identify EV charging patterns and ensure a superior parking experience. Car owners will also be automatically alerted to pending challans and expired PUC certificates,” said Hitesh Gupta, co-founder and CTO of the company.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
There are seven primary routes leading to the Mela area from various directions which are illustrated in the map:
1. Dedicated entry and exit routes:
- Separate entry and exit routes have been established for all major seven routes leading to the Mela area.
- Separate plans have been designed for roads, buses, and pedestrian traffic to minimize congestion and ensure systematic movement.
2. Parking and traffic flow mgmt:
- The number of parking zones have been increased to facilitate prompt vehicle movement, with a strong emphasis on unidirectional traffic flow.
- Separate routes have been allocated for pilgrims arriving by rail, buses, or private vehicles.
3. Congestion reduction measures:
- Parking zones are strategically located at 1–2 kilometres away from the bathing ghats, equipped with all essential amenities.
- Over 1,700 signboards and 230 real-time variable message boards are being deployed to guide pilgrims effectively.
4. Major bathing day regulations:
- Specific no-vehicle zones will be created in and around the Mela area during major bathing days, which are Paush Purnima (January 13), Makar Sankranti (January 14) Mauni Amavasya (January 29), Basant Panchami (February 3), Maghi Purnima (February 12) and Maha Shivratri (February 26).
- Diversion plans and no vehicle zone will apply from a day before and a day after for all bathing days and from 2 days before and 2 days after for Mauni Amavasya.
5. Infrastructure enhancements:
- Eight new pontoon bridges and additional roads have been constructed to facilitate smoother transportation in comparison to 2019.
7. Public transport accessibility:
- Shuttle buses, CNG autos, and e-rickshaws will provide convenient transit services for pilgrims on regular days.
- E Rickshaw plan has been prepared for reducing congestion in and around Mela area.
8. Enhanced safety and surveillance:
- Holding areas have been established to regulate entry into the Mela zone and city limits.
- AI-enabled CCTV cameras with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) capabilities have been installed to monitor vehicles in and around Mela area.
9. Emergency management:
- A diversion scheme has been developed for emergency scenarios, ensuring prompt rerouting of traffic when needed.