Elaborate arrangements are in place for Wednesday's Mahashivratri 'snan' at the Maha Kumbh, which would witness the culmination of the mega religious congregation that has drawn a record more than 64 crore pilgrims so far.
Aware of the likely surge of devotees for the last sacred bath, the entire mela area has been declared a 'no vehicle zone' from 4 pm on Tuesday and appeals were being made by authorities to take a holy dip at the ghat nearest to them instead of crowding at the Sangam.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was constantly in touch with mela authorities to ensure a smooth snan on Mahashivratri, officials said.
"There are clear cut directives to ensure the safety and security of devotees. The CM is monitoring all the arrangements himself," a senior official told PTI.
An elaborate advisory has been issued for devotees. The government also issued a statement detailing the advisory according to which pilgrims have been advised to take a dip at the ghats closest to them.
As per the advisory, those devotees coming from the Uttari Jhunsi route should go to Harishchandra Ghat and Old GT Ghat, and those from the Dakshini Jhunsi should use Arail Ghat.
A dip at Bharadwaj Ghat, Nagavasuki Ghat, Mori Ghat, Kali Ghat, Ram Ghat, and Hanuman Ghat has been advised for those devotees entering from Pande area.
The pontoon bridges would be operated on the basis of the pilgrim rush, the officials said.
"Devotees have been urged to avoid unnecessary movement and leave for their destinations after completing rituals," an official said.
The devotional surge was quite apparent on Tuesday when over a crore pilgrims arrived at Mahakumbh Nagar, the makeshift 76th UP district set up for the event, the officials said.
According to the officials, 37,000 police personnel and 14,000 home guards have been deployed at Maha Kumbh for security arrangements while 2,750 AI-based CCTVs, three Jal Police stations, 18 Jal Police control rooms, and 50 watch towers are also there for safety and security of the devotees.
"Besides large-scale security arrangements, we are also monitoring social media 24x7 to check any spread of misinformation regarding the Maha Kumbh," DIG (Kumbh) Vaibhav Krishna told PTI.
Jhansi native Kirpal Singh, who lost a leg in an accident seven years ago, also arrived at the Sangam on crutches for a holy dip.
"It was God's will so I could attend the Kumbh. I was here on Makar Sankranti day and on the day stampede happened," he told PTI on Tuesday after the dip.
The pilgrim flow into the Maha Kumbh area continued late into the night.
While vendors were seen selling 'puja' ware, the security personnel sought to manage the surge of devotees at the Sangam confluence point.
Bihar native Raushan Sah, whose brother was present in the fair area during the January 29 stampede, also arrived at the Sangam for the holy dip along with his octogenarian mother and other family members.
Junapeethadheeshwar Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Swami Avdheshanand Giri Ji Maharaj said that the Maha Kumbh's religious traditions would be completed with the Mahashivratri puja.
Following the conclusion of the rituals, he would proceed to Kashi.
Highlighting the scale of the event, he noted that UNESCO has recognised the Maha Kumbh as an intangible cultural heritage.
He also emphasised that the event was conducted smoothly without any disorder, according to an official statement issued by the UP government.
Chief Minister Adityanath on Tuesday extended greetings and best wishes to the people of the state, as well as to the revered saints and devotees arriving for the sacred bath at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, on the auspicious occasion of Mahashivratri.
The CM stated that Mahashivaratri inspires people to remain committed to the welfare of society.
"Lord Mahadev, the God of Gods, is universally revered among the masses. Festivals and celebrations strengthen our traditions and national unity. The Jyotirlingas across India stand as symbols of national integration," he said in a statement.
The mega festival was also billed as a great example of cleanliness with sanitation personnel working round-the-clock in multiple shifts to keep the area clean.
'Divya Kumbh, Bhavya Kumbh, Surakshit Kumbh' is the tagline of this monumental religious gathering whose cumulative footfall figures have surpassed the population count of many countries.
The fair also saw nearly half a dozen fire incidents, none resulting in any casualties though, thanks to adequate fire-fighting arrangements. "As many as 50 fire stations and 20 fire posts are on standby to meet any contingency requirements," chief fire officer Pramod Sharma said.
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