Days after stampede, 'Op II' put in place for Kumbh Amrit Snan

The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday said it has put into place a special crowd management plan named "Operation Eleven" for the Amrit Snan on Basant Panchami at Maha Kumbh.

- Kenneth John and Pawan Dixit

PRAYAGRAJ:

The Amrit Snan on Basant Panchami will take place on Monday.

According to a statement, the plan, devised under "strict instructions" from chief minister Yogi Adityanath, ensures a "one-way traffic route" for devotees and smooth movement on pontoon bridges. To prevent overcrowding at the Triveni ghats, additional police forces have been deployed and barricades have been increased.

The heightened measures have been put in place as part of the state government's "zero-error" programme for the Basant Panchami Amrit Snan in the wake of a stampede at Sangam on Mauni Amavasya which claimed at least 30 lives and left 60 devotees injured who had gathered for a holy dip on one of the most auspicious bathing dates at the Kumbh.

Following the stampede, Adityanath reviewed arrangements at the site on Saturday and instructed officials to ensure the Basant Panchami Amrit Snan is executed "without any errors".

The state government has also deployed two senior IAS officers, who were part of the team that successfully conducted the 2019 Ardh Kumbh, to oversee the smooth conduct of the Mela.

Ashish Goyal and Bhanu Chandra Goswami, who have hands-on experience in administration in Prayagraj, including a deep insight into crowd management and inter-agency coordination during the 2019 Ardh Kumbh, have joined Mela Adhikari Vijay Kiran Anand.

Additional director general of police Bhanu Bhaskar has been enlisted to oversee the crowd control measures in the fair area.