Police ensure that there are no choke points: SSP Maha Kumbh on crowd management at Prayagraj

Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], February 26 : Devotees from across the country arrived in large numbers at the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj in the early hours of Wednesday on the last 'Snan' of the Maha Kumbh, coinciding with the auspicious occasion of Maha Shivaratri.
Rajesh Dwivedi, SSP Maha Kumbh, on Wednesday, said that Prayagraj is witnessing a huge inflow of pilgrims participating in the last 'Snan' of the Maha Kumbh, coinciding with the auspicious occasion of Maha Shivaratri.
He said that the police are ensuring that there are no choke points.
"Nobody wants to miss out on this opportunity. The people of the city of Prayagraj are also visiting this Snaan in huge numbers. That is why, since midnight, we are seeing a huge inflow of pilgrims," Dwivedi told ANI.
"Because of our schemes, there is a very convenient outflow and everyone is glad to be a part of this occasion on Maha Shivratri. They are also visiting the Shiv Mandirs in the Maha Kumbh area in large numbers... As of today, the 65 crore mark has been reached," he added.
He said the police have planned the crowd management in such a way that there are no choke points.
"We have planned such that there are no choke points. And we have kept it very dynamic. The moment, the pressure is built to a point, we use our civil police and CAPF and other forces available to us. There are no choke points as such and we are facilitating the exit points very conveniently," he said.
Drone visuals showed a sea of devotees at the Triveni Sangam to take a holy dip on the last day of Maha Kumbh.
One devotee spoke to ANI and expressed her excitement about visiting the Maha Kumbh on its last day.
"I cannot express my sentiments in words... We came here with a lot of excitement... We came here because it is the last day of the Maha Kumbh. We are fortunate to have the blessings of Maa Ganga," a devotee said.
The first Amrit Snan of Paush Purnima began on January 13, followed by Snan on Makar Sankranti on January 14, Mauni Amavasya on January 29, Basant Panchami on February 3, Maghi Purnima on February 12, and the last snan on February 26, Maha Shivaratri.
Several Akharas participated in the Maha Kumbh, including Niranjani Akhada, Ahwan Akhada, and Juna Akhada, the largest Akhada in the Sanyasi tradition.
Akharas play a crucial role in the Shahi Snan. Akharas are religious orders of monks belonging to various sects, including Shaiva, Vaishnava, and Udasi. Each Akhara has its head, known as the 'Mahamandaleshwar.'
In response to the massive number of devotees expected to arrive at the Maha Kumbh, the Prayagraj District administration has deployed extra forces and ensured better coordination with railway and airport authorities for better management.
Prayagraj District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Mandar emphasised efforts to manage traffic and parking efficiently, ensuring a hassle-free experience for devotees.
"We have directed our officers to better management of the parking spaces so that traffic would be under control. Senior officials are deployed at all the junctions and parking spaces for better management...We have issued a traffic advisory in the morning today," the Prayagraj DM said.