VVIP Passes Cancelled, No Vehicles: Key Changes After Maha Kumbh Stampede

A day after 30 people died and 60 others sustained injuries in a pre-dawn stampede at the Sangam area of the Maha Kumbh in Uttar Pradesh‘s Prayagraj, the state government has introduced strict measures to prevent further incidents. The administration has implemented five major changes, including declaring the entire fair area a No-Vehicle Zone.

The tragedy occurred on Wednesday as millions of pilgrims attempted to reach the waters for a sacred dip on Mauni Amavasya, one of the most auspicious days of the Kumbh Mela.

According to Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Maha Kumbh, Vaibhav Krishna, the stampede was triggered by pilgrims pushing against barricades in an attempt to reach the holy waters.

Here are the 5 key changes:

Complete No-Vehicle Zone: Entry of all types of vehicles is strictly prohibited in the Maha Kumbh fair area.

VVIP Passes Canceled: No special passes will allow vehicle entry, eliminating any exceptions.

One-Way Routes Implemented: A one-way traffic system has been enforced to streamline the movement of devotees.

Vehicle Entry Restricted: Vehicles arriving from neighbouring districts of Prayagraj are being stopped at district borders to reduce congestion.

Strict Restrictions Until February 4: Entry of four-wheelers into the city is completely banned until this date to maintain order.

To further strengthen crowd management efforts, IAS officers Ashish Goyal and Bhanu Goswami have been directed to reach Prayagraj immediately. Both bureaucrats played a key role in successfully managing the 2019 Ardh Kumbh along with Vijay Kiran. During that event, Bhanu Goswami served as the District Magistrate and Vice Chairman of the Kumbh Mela Authority, while Ashish Goyal was the Commissioner of Allahabad, overseeing the management.

Additionally, five special secretary-rank officers with previous experience in handling large-scale events have been assigned to assist with Maha Kumbh operations. 

Chief Minister’s Response 

Following the stampede, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued multiple guidelines focusing on crowd control, traffic management, and inter-departmental coordination. The Chief Minister ordered a review of the Maha Kumbh arrangements by the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police (DGP).

The ADG and the District Magistrate of Prayagraj have been directed to ensure a safe and smooth departure of all devotees from the city. 

In a late-night video conference, the Mr Adityanath addressed senior police officers and officials from multiple districts, including Prayagraj, Kaushambi, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Mirzapur, Basti, Jaunpur, and Rae Bareli, among others. 

Crowd Management Measures

With a large number of devotees present at railway stations across Prayagraj preparing to return home, Mr Adityanath instructed officials to coordinate closely with rail authorities. The Transport Corporation has been directed to deploy additional buses to accommodate the rush.

Holding areas have been set up at border points to manage crowd pressure within the fair area. Devotees will be allowed to proceed only when the situation permits. These areas will have adequate arrangements for food, drinking water, and uninterrupted electricity supply, the state government has assured. 

Increased patrolling and streamlined traffic flow have been mandated on major routes leading to Prayagraj, including those from Ayodhya, Kanpur, Fatehpur, Lucknow, Pratapgarh, and Varanasi.

Judicial Commission Set Up

A three-member judicial commission has been appointed to investigate the causes of the stampede. The panel comprises Justice Harsh Kumar, former Director General VK Gupta, and retired IAS officer VK Singh.

In addition to the judicial probe, the Chief Minister announced a compensation of Rs 25 lakh for the families of those who died.