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Devotees arrive to offer prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath temple on eyes of Maha Shivratri, in Varanasi Tuesday (PTI)
WITH THE Maha Kumbh Mela set to conclude in Prayagraj on Maha Shivratri Wednesday, the Varanasi administration and police are anticipating the biggest-ever crowd in the district on the occasion of Maha Shivratri on Wednesday.
Officials said on Tuesday that heavy rush is expected as a large number of pilgrims travelling to Varanasi would be coming from the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, where also a massive crowd is anticipated for the final holy bath on Wednesday. The Maha Kumbh site is located nearly 130 km from Varanasi.
The Varanasi administration and police have chalked up comprehensive crowd
management plans, keeping in mind that while the Maha Kumbh is being held in
an open area outside Prayagraj, the Kashi Vishwanath temple — which devotees
will visit on Wednesday — is located in the heart of the city in a congested
area.
A police officer said the traffic management plan, prepared in anticipation of the surge in pilgrims, is being strictly implemented, curbing prolonged vehicular congestion in Varanasi.
Additionally, a traffic diversion plan has been enforced to ensure smooth movement across the district. This includes establishing barricades at key locations and restricting vehicle entry within city limits. In some regions of the district, movement of vehicles is also prohibited.
Varanasi Police Commissioner Mohit Agarwal said several security arrangements have been made to “ensure smooth public movement in the city and prevent traffic congestion.”
He added, to manage the rush at railway stations, designated holding areas have been set up where passengers are guided to their trains in an organised manner. Police teams are deployed on both ends of these holding areas, ensuring seamless movement. Waiting arrangements have also been made for passengers travelling to Prayagraj, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and other destinations at the railway station.
As part of the plan, no heavy vehicles, including buses, are allowed inside the city. Instead, they are directed to designated parking lots on the outskirts of the district. The police and administration have set up 40 such parking lots with a total capacity of around one lakh vehicles, with each lot accommodating 2,000 to 2,500 vehicles, said Agarwal.
Shuttle buses are operating to transport pilgrims from the parking lots to the nearest drop-off point, from where they must walk around one-and-a-half km to reach the Kashi Vishwanath temple, said a police officer.
Due to the heavy crowd, a one-km radius around the Kashi Vishwanath temple has been declared a no-vehicle zone, said Deputy Commissioner of Police, Varanasi (Traffic), Hirdesh Kumar.
Dedicated parking areas have been allotted outside this zone for two-wheelers.
A traffic jam in Prayagraj on the eve of Maha Shivratri, which will mark the conclusion of the Maha Kumbh. The snan on Wednesday will be the last of this year’s gathering (PTI)
In addition to the pilgrims, around 15,000 Naga sadhus are staying in Varanasi at present. Following the completion of the third and final Amrit Snan on Basant Panchami (February 3), most akharas and sadhus moved towards Varanasi, where they will remain until Maha Shivratri on February 26 before returning to their respective places. During their stay, newly initiated Naga sadhus, along with recently appointed mahamandaleshwars and mahants, will receive their official certificates before assuming their duties or heading back to their ashrams.
On Maha Shivratri, anticipating a heavy crowd at Kashi Vishwanath temple, the district administration and police have suspended all VIP protocols. The sanctum sanctorum will remain open for an extended period due to the occasion, officials said. The administration has also planned measures to ensure smooth arrangements and easy access to the temple. Special arrangements have been made for the visit of Akharas at the temple, said Kashi Vishwanath Temple Chief Executive Officer Vishwa Bhushan Mishra.
Following directives of Varanasi district administration, the schools up to Class 8 have been closed till Wednesday. Schools have been instructed to conduct online classes for students, said Arvind Pathak, Basic Shiksha Adhikari, Varanasi.
Since the Maha Kumbh began on January 13, the Varanasi police have reported a daily footfall of 20-25 lakh. However, on Maha Shivratri (February 26), the district administration and police expect the crowd to double, bringing the total number of pilgrims visiting the city to nearly 10 crore since the start of the Maha Kumbh.
Several pilgrims, coming from different parts of the country, attending the Kumbh Mela are either visiting Kashi Vishwanath and other temples before heading to Prayagraj or stopping in Varanasi after their holy bath at the Kumbh. Many of them stay in Varanasi for at least two days, either before or after their visit to the Kumbh. Due to this surge, hotels, guest houses, and dharamshalas are fully booked, with prices soaring. The high demand has also led to the closure of online bookings, prompting some local residents to offer homestay services for pilgrims.
Meanwhile, PTI reported on Tuesday that expecting a heavy influx of devotees from Kumbh Mela on Maha Shivratri on February 26, the organisers of 'Shiv Baraat' in Varanasi have decided to shift the annual procession to a day after, breaking away from a four-decade-long tradition.
The event, which depicts the marriage ceremony of Lord Shiva and Parvati, is traditionally taken out on Maha Shivratri and has been the practice for the last 42 years. However, citing crowd management as the reason, the organisers decided to change the date.
"This is the first time it will be held a day after due to concerns over crowd management," Shiv Baraat Committee Secretary Kamal Kumar Singh said, adding that initially, the administration had suggested cancelling the procession.
The decision has triggered a political controversy, with Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai calling it an attack on the city's
