CM lauds city for patience, enthusiasm

Prayagraj: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday lauded people of the Sangam city for embracing the world's biggest religious and spiritual congregation – Maha Kumbh – as their own, hosting a series of community feasts, welcoming guests and prioritizing the mega event over personal challenges.
The CM said, "People remember about lockdown when they all had supported Prime Minister Narendra Modi in tackling the crisis while in other countries, locals came on streets." Prayagraj streets had witnessed a mammoth rush of devotees between Jan 5 and Feb 26 making it not easy to walk but the situation is totally different now, he said.
Maha Kumbh has turned to be a global event and extended his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, acknowledging his visionary leadership that ensured Prayagraj Maha Kumbh to set new benchmarks in security, cleanliness, governance, and spiritual grandeur. The CM also claimed that Maha Kumbh, apart from witnessing over 66.30 crore devotees taking dip in Triveni Sangam in 45 days, has also set a record of faith and economy (Astha aur Arthiki). The new vision of faith and economy was given by the PM, reflecting the potential of spiritual tourism in UP, he said.
In 2024, over 65 crore devotees and pilgrims had visited Uttar Prades and over 66.30 crore devotees arrived during Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj between Jan 13 and Feb 26 alone. The Sangam city also witnessed the representation of over 100 foreign countries including ambassadors and high commissioners of 74 countries apart from ministers and nation heads of 12 countries visiting Maha Kumbh.
The CM, meanwhile, claimed that both the Central and the state government had invested Rs 7,500 crore in the mega event.
Over one lakh employees\officials from both the Centre and the state were deployed including security personnel from UP police, PAC, fire services, Jal police, home guards, ATS, STF and PRD. Moreover, a network of 3,000 CCTV sets including AI enabled cameras . "When I was in Lucknow or other city, I was able to take a view of Maha Kumbh with the help of these cameras" said Yogi. Over 7,000 UPSRTC buses along 750 shuttle buses, more than 13,000 mela special trains were run and and over 3.5 crore devotees travelled in roadways buses.
The CM said that the Sangam city has got many permanent and temporary infrastructures already developing it as a smart city now. The mela was spread in around 10,000 acre land with parking arrangements for 6 lakh vehicles (in 5000 acre) and had 30 pontoon bridges, 500 km chequered plates, 1.5 lakh toilets, 1,250 km long pipelines, a river front and nine permanent ghats and over 8,000 organisations took part in it, said the CM.
Yogi said that media has played a positive role and proved that growth worth Rs 3.5 lakh crore was possible by investing Rs 7,500 crore. "I have been receiving letters from many institutes and organisations including foreign universities to study crowd management and the coordination of faith and economy," he said.