Sangam city beefs up security for Mauni Amavasya tomorrow
PRAYAGRAJ: Pilgrims have begun to arrive at the Magh Mela area where security has been beefed up ahead of the bathing on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya on Tuesday.
Anticipating a heavy rush of devotees for the dip on the Mauni Amavasya day that Hindus consider auspicious, the district administration and the police announced elaborate traffic restrictions that would remain in place till February 2.
‘We expect anywhere from 80 lakh to 1 crore pilgrims on Mauni Amavasya day and all arrangements are in place for them,” said divisional commissioner Sanjay Goyal.
Inspector general of police (range) Rakesh Singh reviewed traffic, security arrangements and checked plans to streamline crowd movement on the bathing day.
Singh directed the Jal police team comprising security personnel and divers to remain alert.
The security personnel deployed at the ghats will ensure barricading to prevent pilgrims from crossing over into the danger area of the river.
Officials of the intelligence wing, including local intelligence units have also been directed to maintain a sharp vigil in the Magh mela area and foil plans by antisocial elements to create mischief.
Fire department officials have also been put on alert.
The superintendent of police Rajeev Narayan Mishra and other police officials attended the meeting.
There are 13 police stations and 38 police outposts in various sectors of the mela area besides 13 fire stations.
Vigil would be maintained from 14 watch towers on which CCTVs would be installed. In all 150 CCTVs would be there across the mela area.
Besides civil police, PAC personnel, teams of anti-terrorist squad, bomb disposal squads besides a team of SDRF, divers and flood relief personnel would scan the mela area.
Around 15,000 toilets have been built in the mela area, including 1500 pre-fabricated steel toilets, 3000 tent toilets, 300 urinals, 9,000 institutional toilets and 900 at camps of government institutions.
For the devotees, 10 major ghats stretching from Nagvasuki to Quila Ghat near Sangam have been set up to avoid overcrowding at one place.
COVID CARE
“So far we have detected 149 Covid-19 positive cases in the mela area and 129 out of them have recovered. We are taking adequate precautions,” said Sanjay Goyal, divisional commissioner. Twenty-eight basic life support and two advanced life support ambulances would be there in the mela area, apart from two more ambulances for Covid patients in each sector.