Dredging work begins near Sangam to aid pilgrims take a dip PREPARATIONS REVIEWED FOR MAUNI SNAN
PRAYAGRAJ: The depth of the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati—Sangam—is being increased by the authorities in earnest, with a little over 24 hours remaining for the major bathing day, on Mauni Amavasya (February 11), during the ongoing Magh Mela.
Experts of the irrigation department and flood control department have started the dredging of the riverbed by Pokeland machines with the aim to increase the depth of the largest ghat of Magh Mela. Right now, there is just knee-deep water at the confluence, officials shared.
The sand digging machine is enhancing the depth of the main course of Ganga and at the same time removing the smaller streams of the river, thereby increasing the volume of water for the devotees at the ghats, they explained.
For the task, the flood control department is also using JCBs which are removing the silt from the Ganga so that devotees get ample water to take a dip near the ghats.
“As the silt would be removed from the bed of the river, it would have two benefits: the devotees will have more depth for taking a dip, and also, with having just one stream, the land mass wherein the tent city is located, would have enhanced,” said Brijesh Kumar Verma, executive engineer, flood control department.
The official added, “We are dredging the river so that the meandering of the river is minimised and once the water level subsides a bit, we will have a constant mainstream.”
Besides, turning various smaller streams (presently around five) the process would help the authorities with having far more stable pontoon bridges as well.
The depth of the river would reduce the current of the river and thereby minimise the erosion of the river bank, he explained.
Because of the strong currents and the continued erosion by the Ganga, Mela officials have been troubled a few times already as the strong current had resulted in erosion by Ganga banks.
“We had to engage expert carpenters to make crates—the structure made by bamboo and tree trunk—day and night and placing them at carefully selected points at the banks where the river was eroding its bank and we had placed over 100 such crates in the river,” Verma said.
Moreover, the authorities informed that an additional 3,000 cusecs of water has been released from Narora barrage and would reach Prayagraj before Mauni Amavasya.
PRAYAGRAJ: Ahead of the third bathing festival of the ongoing Magh Mela—Mauni Amavasya— falling on February 11, the district administration held a meeting at the mela area on Tuesday and reviewed the preparations made by all the departments.
“All the bathing ghats have been prepared and proper arrangements have been made for maintaining cleanliness at all the places in five sectors of the mela area,” said mela adhikari Vivek Chaturvedi. “Eight bathing ghats have been prepared in view of heavy influx of devotees expected on this major bathing festival. The total length of the ghats is around 8000 feet long. In addition, adequate circulating areas have also been arranged at all the ghats, which is about 650 feet long and an average of 300 feet wide at all other ghats,” he said.
District magistrate, Bhanu Chandra Goswami stressed over the need of adequate number of changing rooms at every ghat, keeping the mela area polythene free, monitoring of all 175 sweepers gangs for utmost cleanliness.