Maha Kumbh: Prayagraj to turn into 'no vehicle zone' ahead of Wednesday's Maghi Purnima bath
Mahakumbh Nagar (UP), Feb 11 (PTI): Elaborate arrangements including a special traffic plan have been chalked out for Maghi Purnima on Wednesday and health personnel have been put on alert for the occasion when the month-long 'kalpavas', an integral tradition of the Maha Kumbh, comes to an end.
This year, more than 10 lakh devotees have undertaken kalpavas, which refers to the practice of living near the Sangam area, adhering to fasting, self-discipline, introspection and spiritual purification.
While the fair area has been declared a 'no vehicle zone' from 4 am on Tuesday, the rule will apply to the entire city from 5 pm onwards, with an exemption for emergency and essential services, an official statement said.
To avoid traffic chaos, designated parking lots have been marked for public and private vehicles so that the devotees face no trouble in reaching the bathing ghats on foot, the statement said.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday extended hearty greetings and best wishes to the people of the state, the seers and devotees who have come to bathe in the Maha Kumbh on the main bathing festival Maghi Purnima, the UP government said in a statement.
In his message, the chief minister said more than 45 crore devotees have taken "holy Triveni bath" so far in the Maha Kumbh, which started from Paush Purnima on January 13.
Maghi Purnima on February 12 is the other holy occasion of bathing, he said.
Adityanath said bathing, donation and worship have special significance on Maghi Purnima. This date is a special festival for the devotees who do kalpavas at the Sangam site. One month of kalpavas will be completed on Maghi Purnima, the statement said.
To ensure the safe evacuation of the devotees from the Mela area in case of any emergency, the special traffic plan will remain in place till the completion of the bathing ritual on Wednesday.
The administration has requested all the kalpavasis to follow the rules and use only the authorised parking lots.
Keeping in mind the convenience of the students, secondary schools of all boards in Prayagraj have suspended physical classes from February 7 to February 12 and shifted to online mode.
Adityanath has issued directions that no devotee, 'kalpvasi' or ordinary citizen should face any inconvenience on the occasion of Magh Purnima, the fourth bathing festival to be held at the Triveni Sangam, a statement said.
DGP Prashant Kumar said, "Traffic is flowing smoothly on all major routes, with no significant increase in congestion over the past few hours. Junctions within the city are also witnessing seamless vehicular movement."
Prayagraj Police Commissioner Tarun Gaba said despite a surge in vehicles at the weekend and intermittent high-traffic periods, the administration and police force have efficiently managed the traffic situation.
He added, "The police and administration have urged all devotees to utilise designated parking areas along their route and avoid attempting to reach Sangam directly, as specific arrangements have been made for different routes."
AI-enabled cameras are being used to monitor the movement of devotees and regulate traffic in the fair area, he said.
Real-time data is being gathered from toll plazas and officials in neighbouring districts to track incoming vehicle numbers and routes, enabling appropriate traffic management, the officer said.
Comprehensive measures to ensure the safety and health of the anticipated influx of devotees have also been made.
All hospitals within the city, division and the Maha Kumbh area have been placed on high alert according to the chief minister's directives, officials said.
To provide immediate assistance during emergencies, 133 ambulances have been strategically deployed. They include 125 road ambulances, seven river ambulances and one air ambulance.
State-of-the-art medical services have been arranged throughout the Maha Kumbh area, offering facilities for procedures ranging from minor operations to major surgeries.
Dr Gaurav Dubey, Nodal Medical Officer of the Maha Kumbh Mela, said over 2,000 medical personnel have been deployed within the Maha Kumbh area, with an additional 700 staff members on high alert at Swaroop Rani Nehru (SRN) Hospital.
SRN Hospital has reserved 250 beds and secured 200 units of blood to address potential emergencies.
All 43 hospitals in Mahakumbh Nagar, each with a 500-bed capacity, have been fully prepared to handle the influx of patients.
The hospital has reserved a 40-bed trauma centre, a 50-bed surgical ICU, a 50-bed medicine ward, a 50-bed PMSSY ward and a 40-bed burn unit.
Additionally, a 10-bed cardiology ward and a 10-bed ICU are fully operational.
For safe return of devotees, the state transport department has arranged 1,200 additional buses, which will be available every 10 minutes, a statement issued here said.
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Karnataka to approach SC seeking permission to continue MGNREGA
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday decided to approach the Supreme Court seeking permission to continue implementation of MGNREGA in the state, contending that the Centre had repealed the rural employment guarantee law without consultation and failed to put in place any alternative mechanism under the VB-G RAM G Act.
Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said the state would immediately move the apex court seeking permission to prepare and implement the annual action plan for rural employment works, while also challenging what it described as an infringement on the constitutional rights of states.
The parliament passed VB-G RAM G in December that replaces MGNREGA.
Patil explained that the Cabinet decided to approach the court seeking permission for the State Government to prepare an action plan in this regard. Since the Centre’s stand interferes with the constitutional rights of state governments, the Cabinet has also decided to challenge this issue before the appropriate court
“There are two points here. One is that they have come in the way of our constitutional right of providing the right to work. That has been halted, and, therefore, the State Government has decided to approach the Supreme Court. The second point is that the Government of India has not provided any alternative,” the Minister said.
The Central Government has not yet issued a notification to implement the VB-G RAM G Act, nor has it made any alternative arrangements and hence continuing Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is unavoidable in the public interest, the Minister said.
“Therefore, in the interest of the public, farmers and agricultural labourers, we must continue MGNREGA. For that purpose, the Cabinet has decided to approach the court seeking permission for the State Government to prepare the action plan for this year,” he added.
The Minister also said the Centre had only permitted continuation of pending and spillover MGNREGA works without releasing grants or announcing a fresh action plan.
“The Centre itself has said that pending, spillover and half-done MGNREGA works can continue. That means MGNREGA is actually still functioning in practice. But there is no new action plan,” he said.
Patil said the state had already passed a resolution on the issue, while Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had written to the Prime Minister and the Rural Development Minister had held discussions with Union Ministers.
Replying to questions, the minister said the state would move court “as immediately as possible.”
He clarified that the state was seeking permission to formulate and implement this year’s action plan under the existing framework.
“What we are asking the Supreme Court is to allow us to have the action plan for this year and implement it,” he said.
The Cabinet also held detailed discussions on the final report submitted by the State Education Policy Commission headed by former UGC chairman Professor Sukhadeo Thorat.
Patil said a Cabinet sub-committee would be constituted to examine the report and recommend measures for implementation.
“No decision has been taken yet. The Cabinet sub-committee will recommend what should be accepted and what should be modified,” he said.
He said the report comprised around eight volumes and covered issues relating to financial implications, human resources, curriculum reforms, deemed universities, unitary universities and newly established universities. The Chief Minister has been authorised to constitute the sub-committee.
The Cabinet also approved the Karnataka Motor Transport and Other Related Workers’ Social Security and Welfare Amendment Bill, 2026, transferring welfare administration of transport-related workers from the Labour Department to the Transport Department.
The Cabinet further approved establishment of three new industrial estates in Kalaburagi, Yadgir and Surpur under the Karnataka State Small Industries Development Corporation and Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board schemes at an estimated cost of Rs 200 crore.
The Cabinet also approved amendments to Karnataka Civil Services (General Recruitment) Rules, 2026, providing two per cent reservation in state civil services appointments for sportspersons.
