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Mahakumbh: With fellowship rising, saints want hike in fair facilities
The saints also apprise the officials of their needs and expectations for the fair during the meeting.
Saints under the aegis of Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP), the apex decision-making body of the Hindu monastic orders, were apprised about the ongoing preparations of the forthcoming mega religious fair of Mahakumbh-2025 by officials of the district and mela administration at Sangam Sabhagar of the divisional commissioner’s office on Thursday.
The saints also apprise the officials of their needs and expectations for the fair during the meeting.
Looking at the preparations for Mahakumbh, the saints said that the number of their high priests and senior office bearers including Maha Mandaleshwars, Mandaleshwars, Shri Mahants and Mahants had increased over the past years. In such a situation, it is now necessary that the facilities being given to the saints during the religious fair should also be increased. They also demanded to make all the facilities be made available to them free of cost.
In the meeting that lasted for about two hours, the saints also gave some suggestions and made some demands while assuring full cooperation with the mela administration for the smooth conduct of Mahakumbh-2025.
In the meeting held in the presence of ADG Bhanu Bhaskar and divisional commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, the main demand of the saints was regarding the temporary arrangements made for the fair at the mela area on banks of Sangam.
On the increase in the number of office bearers in the Akharas, the officials were asked to increase the facilities and land allotted to them for setting up of their camps in the fair area. The mela administration immediately accepted this demand of the saints and assured that the facilities will be increased as compared to those provided in the past editions of the fairs.
At the same time, a demand was raised to provide support amount for the akharas once again on the lines of Kumbh-2019 for permanent constructions by monastic orders. On this, the officials assured that this proposal will be sent to the state government and further action will be taken only after getting permission from the government.
The saints also assured that they will fully cooperate in keeping the fair polythene-free. Prayagraj police commissioner Tarun Gaba, IG Prem Kumar Gautam, Mahakumbh Mela Adhikari Vijay Kiran Anand, additional police commissioner N Kolanchi, municipal commissioner Chandra Mohan Garg and CDO Gaurav Kumar among other officials were present during the meeting that was attended by saints including Mahant Rajendra Das from Akhara Parishad, Shri Mahant Muralidas, Shri Mahant Yamunapuri from Mahanirvani Akhara, Mahant Devendra Shastri from Bada Akhara and representatives from all 13 recognised Akharas.
Hathras-like incident should not happen
The Mahakumbh is set to be a mega event. In such a situation, security arrangements remained a top priority of the officials and the saints during the meeting. The top saints of the Akhada Parishad said that arrangements should be made to avoid overcrowding and stampede like situations that took place recently in Hathras. Administrative officers and police officials assured that there will be additional security arrangements and special care will be taken in this regard.
Mega fair to be smooth affair
In the meeting, ADG Bhanu Bhaskar assured the saints that the fair will be held in a smooth and regal manner. The team will stand with the saints every step of the way for better security, crowd and traffic management which will be done using will be done using the latest technology of artificial intelligence. The concept of digital Kumbh will be fully realised, he said.
DCP-level nodal officer
Divisional commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant said that a deputy commissioner level officer will be deployed to ensure smooth and better communication of the mela administration with all the Akharas. It has been observed that problems arise due to the absence of senior officers for resolving issues during the fair. This time a senior administrative officer will be posted who will be available for constant communication with the akharas. He also assured the saints that all the seven concrete ghats would be ready by October 2024.
Ban on meat, liquor shops demanded
Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad president Mahant Ravindrapuri and secretary Mahant Hari Giri asked the officials to close liquor and meat shops preferably within a radius of 5km but mandatorily within a radius of 3km from Sangam so that the devotees coming to the fair area do not face any problem.
