Multiple Accidents Claim 9 Lives As Devotees Return

Despite the fact that the Mahakumbh-2025 will officially conclude on February 26, the devotee footfall continues to rise each passing day, showing their faith and religious sentiments.

- HT Correspondent

MAHAKUMBH NAGAR:

Although various akharas and sadhus associated with them besides Kalpvasis have already left the tent city, visitors in huge numbers are taking the holy dip at Sangam every day.

This reversal of the earlier trend, where devotee count used to decline after the last Amrit Snan, has started to prove to be a formidable challenge for the mela and the district administration.

Despite reports of excessive devotee crowd remaining stuck for hours together in traffic snarls on roads leading to Prayagraj, people continue to arrive in Prayagraj to be part of the mega event taking place after 144 years due to a rare celestial alignment. Zonal parking as well as bathing plans besides alternate closing down of pontoon bridges have helped so far in keeping things in control at all the 48 bathing ghats.

Meanwhile, devotees baring the scorching sun treading 10 to 15 km from parking areas on the outskirts of city, where their vehicles were made to park, seem to be undeterred by the hardship they face.