Sangam is hardly welcoming: Ground report

On reaching Prayagraj eventually after negotiating hundreds of miles long traffic, Bhupendra Chaubey runs into sights near the Triveni Sangam (the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati) that are hardly conducive to a healthy and fulfilling stay in this city of Uttar Pradesh.

Too little, too late?

Navbharat Times reported, citing sources, that after the Mahakumbh, many police and administration officers may face disciplinary action, as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath is reportedly miffed at the problems faced by the pilgrims due to the traffic jam and chaos during the Mahakumbh carnival.

The chief minister is reported to have reprimanded the officers for the utter mismanagement of the pilgrimage. Following the expression of his displeasure, the chief secretary and the DGP have initiated procedures against the officers found lax in discharging their duties.

The officers found guilty will likely face action after the Mahakumbh and Holi.

Stampede at Sangam

In the first incident of a stampede on the holy occasion on Mauni Amavasya, the police and administration machinery engaged in damage control. People were seen in videos, like those shot by Team Squirrels, stuck in jams at various places in Prayagraj, Ayodhya, Varanasi and the districts connected to them for hours.

The bureaucracy has sprung into action following a stern word from the chief minister.

In a high-level meeting to address the issue of vehicular jams, the chief minister reprimanded two ADGs. They face imminent transfers after the Kumbh, sources said.

Some officers of the Prayagraj commissionerate may also come under the purview of action due to the chaos in managing the jam in the city formerly called Allahabad.

Underutilisation of resources

Pilgrims complain that the parking lots built in Prayagraj and its surrounding areas for the Maha Kumbh were not fully utilised, a matter that came up in the officers' meeting with the chief minister. The authorities had built parking lots for about five lakh vehicles, but only about one and a half lakh vehicles were parked there. The rest of the vehicles were parked on the side of the roads or here and there. This was also a reason for the jam.

Similarly, devotees were not taken to the neighbouring districts of Prayagraj where holding areas were built. It has further come to light that arrangements for breakfast and water were not made at the places where the devotees stayed.

Officers of the seven routes to Prayagraj and the eight districts connected to them are under the purview of action too. The chief minister has learnt that the officers did not take the orders for proper arrangements seriously.