Key Points:
- Kumbh Mela 2021 will take place in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar on the Ganga Ghats.
- It will begin in January 2021 and conclude by the end of April 2021.
- Capacity assessment of the ghats will be done soon and the exact number of pilgrims allowed will be declared soon.
- Ghats are classified as Highly Sensitive, Sensitive and Safer Zones as per color codes Red, Yellow and Green respectively.
- The 23 zones will be monitored strictly and Social Distancing will be the basic need of the religious fair.
- Hotels and Aashrams have prepared themselves for about 1.25 lakh pilgrims and are ready to reopen their economy.
Religious tourism is the spine of Uttarakhand’s economy. Due to the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, the hence imposed lockdown had given the hill state’s Tourism Sector a major blow.
Char Dham Yatra began late with restrictions and the annual Kanwar Yatra was called off. And now, the Kumbh Mela 2021, which is to be held from January 1 to April 30, is a hope of reinforcement for the people linked with the sector, says Seema Nautiyal, Hardiwar District Tourism Officer.
The Mahakumbh is set to begin from January 2021 and conclude in April 2021 in Haridwar. 12-13 crore people would have been able to participate according to the state government’s assessment if it was not for the Coronavirus to break.
Checking the calculation of the capacity of Ganga Ghats and Haridwar is to be done by the Kumbh Mela administration as per the state Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat in a meeting of department officials. This is to permit the appropriate number of pilgrims during the religious fair.
Highly Sensitive, Sensitive and Safer Zones are the classifications at the Ganga Ghats in Haridwar according to color codes for better management.
“Pilgrims will be apprised about red, yellow and green ghats. The authorities will not allow pilgrim footfall that threatens social distancing norms as well as creates mobbing at one particular ghat,”
Inspector General, Kumbh Force, Sanjay Gunjyal.
The assessment of Ganga Ghats will provide an approximate number of pilgrims when social distancing norms are implemented, according to Mela officer in charge Deepak Rawat.
“The whole Kumbh mela zone has been divided into 23 zones and respective sectors and zonal magistrates will monitor them. Keeping the pandemic in mind, capacity assessment of Ganga ghats, on daily basis, as well as during royal baths (Shahi snaan ), is being done,”
Rawat.
Ensuring Cleanliness and Garbage Disposal in Haridwar and Rishikesh will be the priority of the management team of the Kumb mela and beautification of the mela will be grand and in time.
“Project management team is assessing the capacity Ganga Ghats on per sq. metre basis. We will have the report in a few days after which the exact number of pilgrims to be allowed on each ghat will be arrived at,”
Additional district magistrate (Kumbh administration) Lalit Narayan Mishra.
800 Hotels and 350 Ashrams are on their way to accommodate 1.25 lakh pilgrims in Haridwar. People associated with hospitality, tourism and civil supply in these districts, and adjoining areas of western Uttar Pradesh will get business during the religious congregation.
The Chief Minister said that keeping the religious and cultural significance of the Kumbh Mela, it should be systematized safely in view of COVID.
