Cleaner ghats, chopper rides & pilgrim amenities to give wings to Sangam city
: In the last six months of the Yogi 2.0 government, the vision of U.P. chief minister Yogi Adityanath to grant a mega-makeover to Sangam city -- which is credited with hosting the largest human congregation during Mahakumbh -has further crystalised. In view of the Mahakumbh 2025, a special budget allocation of Rs 2,500 crore has been approved. The money will be spent on 87 projects, which is expected to give wings to aspirations of developing Sangam city as a major religious tourism hub.
Prayagraj is expected to host over 20 crore pilgrims during the Mahakumbh in 2025. By then, pilgrims and tourists will be able to enjoy seamless travel through overbridges, ring roads, and railway passes offering them an unpreceedent opportunity to immerse themselves in religious fervour, says U.P. cabinet minister Nand Gopal Gupta ‘Nandi’.
Tourists and pilgrims will also be able to enjoy water sports, bathe at pucca ghats in the clean sparkling waters of Sangam, dine on a floating restaurant, enjoy chopper fun rides, visit prominent attractions of wellmaintained religious tourism attractions...he added.
Attractions being developed and improved include the Dwadash Madhav -- a chain of 12 lord Vishnu Madhav temples that circle the Prayag Kshetra. This holds great significance in enhancing the importance of the city for religious tourism, said Vijay Vishwas Pant, divisional commissioner and chairman of Prayagraj Mela Authority Board.
Before the start of the mega religious fair of Mahakumbh2025, as many as seven pucca ghats are all set to be constructed on the banks of the Ganga and Yamuna in Sangam city. Around Rs 95 crore would be spent for constructing these ghats and the funds for the task would be provided by the National Mission of Clean Ganga (NMCG), said officials.
Likewise, all prominent temples of the city -- including the prominent Shaktipeeths of Lalita Devi and Alopi Devi -- are being developed for the benefit of the pilgrims. This will also cover efforts to improve the experience of Panchkosi Parikrama that involves the parikrama of four ashrams of four saints.
Beautification and revitalisation of Triveni Pushp, the picturesque tourist attraction located on the banks of Yamuna at Arail in Naini, has been planned. A new digital Kumbh museum is also in the offing.