Maha Kumbh concludes, devotees continue to visit Sangam area
Prayagraj (PTI): Devotees continue to visit the Sangam area here even after the Maha Kumbh Mela has officially concluded. Some of the arrangements will be retained throughout the year, officials said.
Neeraj Kesariwani, a resident of Prayagraj’s Colonelganj locality, who visited the Sangam area said, “We couldn’t visit the Maha Kumbh due to the massive crowd, which was a disappointment. However, the pleasant evening weather and the LED lights adorning the Sangam area make it feel like the fair is still going on.”
Many people who refrained from visiting the Maha Kumbh due to heavy crowds are now making their way to the Sangam area.
Among them is Dr Deeksha from Delhi who said "We hesitated to come earlier due to reports of overcrowding. Now, having taken a holy dip at the Sangam, I feel blessed. The only regret is that we missed the sight of Naga Sadhus."
PTI correspondent toured the former Maha Kumbh Mela site and observed a large number of workers dismantling the temporary structures across Triveni Sangam, Arail Ghat, and Jhunsi.
Mela Officer Vijay Kiran Anand informed PTI that given the massive influx of devotees during the Maha Kumbh, several facilities in the Sangam area will be retained year-round.
These include LED lighting, changing rooms, and well-maintained ghats.
He added that within a fortnight, all tents will be removed, while pontoon bridges will be partially retained for the Magh Mela, with the rest being redeployed to other districts.
Regarding the pontoon bridges, Anand stated that 30 such bridges, comprising 3,600 pontoons, were constructed across the fairgrounds.
Superintending Engineer (Maha Kumbh) Manoj Gupta said that to enhance the experience of devotees and tourists, 485 designer streetlights were installed at a cost of Rs 8 crore across the Mela area.
Besides, over 40,000 rechargeable bulbs and approximately 48,000 LED lights were installed, ensuring uninterrupted illumination.
To provide 24-hour electricity supply, 85 substations of 400 kV, 14 substations of 250 kV, and 128 substations of 100 kV were set up, he said.
The Maha Kumbh Mela, which spanned 4,000 hectares from January 13 to February 26, witnessed an estimated 66 crore devotees taking a dip in the sacred waters. Dignitaries including the President, Prime Minister, and foreign leaders were among the attendees.
Indian Railways invested around Rs 5,000 crore for the event, constructing over 21 flyovers and underpasses while running 16,000 special trains to facilitate the travel of approximately 50 million passengers.
Similarly, the Uttar Pradesh Roadways operated 8,850 buses, setting a record.
Mahakumbh Nagar was the 76th district of Uttar Pradesh, formed on December 1, 2024, which will remain in existence until March 31, 2025.
It was overseen by a district magistrate, three additional district magistrates, 28 sub-divisional magistrates, one tehsildar, and 24 naib tehsildars.
For security, 56 police stations, 155 police outposts, a cyber cell, a women’s police station, and three water police stations were established in the district.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
