Varanasi: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath asked officials to finalise all necessary preparations to manage the crowd in Kashi during the Prayagraj Maha Kumbh 2025. He instructed the officials to table details of the elevated road project along river Varuna and obtain necessary approvals for the medical college proposed at Pandeypur within two days.
While reviewing progress in preparations for Maha Kumbh crowd management, development projects and law and order during a meeting with officials on Friday evening, Yogi viewed a presentation made by divisional commissioner Kaushal Raj Sharma on Kumbh preparations. Following this, Yogi instructed all departments concerned to maintain proper coordination to expedite the works. As a large number of devotees are expected in Kashi during the forthcoming Maha Kumbh, he stated that all plans should be prepared by Dec 15 and completed by Dec 30.
He directed that the quality of works done at Shastri Ghat in Ramnagar be tested by IIT (BHU) and accountability be fixed for inferior quality works at Kalika temple in Sevapuri. The designated nodal officers were instructed to visit the site once a week and present a report after reviewing progress, ensuring accountability for poor quality. If poor quality is repeatedly found in projects, file FIRs, blacklist them and ensure legal action is taken, he directed officials.
Yogi asked for the approval of the file for the proposed medical college at Pandeypur within the next two days and to proceed with the work. The quality of works at Ramnagar Shastri Ghat will be examined by sending samples for testing through the civil engineering department of IIT (BHU). He also asked officials to thoroughly check complaints about poor quality work being done by UPPCL at Kalika temple in Sevapuri.
Seeking details of the project proposed along the river Varuna at the earliest, Yogi also sought updates on progress in works at the multi-modal terminal at Ramnagar and the Govardhan biogas project. He directed for speeding up road strengthening work in Dalmandi, ensuring proper arrangements for roads, drainage, utilities and traffic, and making the area encroachment-free.
While reviewing law and order, he instructed controlling unnecessary loudspeakers and DJs to prevent disturbances. Verification of auto-rickshaw, e-rickshaw and other vehicle drivers should be completed in view of the Kumbh. Intensive patrolling should be conducted to prevent incidents like chain-snatching and robbery, ensuring that women, children and devotees can move around without worry. Patrolling should be such that if a robbery occurs, the culprits can be caught at the next intersection. Criminal cases should not be left pending, and strict action should be ensured against the top 10 criminals.
Yogi asked officials to keep a special focus on revenue disputes, inheritance, land measurement and division cases, which should be resolved swiftly, or accountability will be determined in the next review. Revenue-related issues are the root of village unrest. Endless delays will not be tolerated; justice for the poor is our goal. Unnecessary cases should not be kept pending. Revenue disputes should be resolved daily based on merit, he said.
The development authority should not keep any map cases pending unnecessarily. The municipal corporation should focus on cleanliness and other facilities in preparation for the Kumbh to accommodate the large influx of devotees in Varanasi.
Yogi also asked to complete preparations for the proposed Kashi-Tamil Sangamam from Feb 15 to 24 in a timely manner, with five batches of participants, ensuring thorough completion for the event proposed at Namo Ghat.
Commissioner Mohit Agarwal presented detailed information on Varanasi police's law and order, traffic movement, Mission Shakti 5 and cybercrime before the CM.
The CM also directed organising an MLA sports competitions at the village, block and justice panchayat levels before the MP sports competition to provide a platform for athletes. At the start of the meeting, district magistrate S Rajalingam presented information on various ongoing projects in the district and the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam before the CM through a presentation.