MAHAKUMBH NAGAR, Feb 4 : Under fire ever since the stampede that killed at least 30 devotees, the Yogi-Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government left nothing to chance for the Basant Panchmi bathing at Maha Kumbh, moving personnel with a “zero error” approach under the Operation 11.
Monday’s Basant Panchami ‘Amrit Snan’ saw over 2.5 crore devotees taking a dip at the Maha Kumbh under a new set of security measures. The situation remains challenging for the authorities still, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi set to visit Maha Kumbh on Wednesday for a dip.
The state government has been parrying charges of concealing the death toll from the January 29 Mauni Amavasya stampede and was hard pressed to rejig its security apparatus for the rest of the 12-year mega gathering.
Not taking chances, the authorities unveiled ‘Operation 11’ —- a set of measures focused on managing the crowd for the Basant Panchami rush.
“The plan included deploying additional security forces at key locations where pilgrim pressure was greater and extensive traffic diversions to prevent congestion, particularly on pontoon bridges leading to the Triveni Sangam,” an official told PTI.
Lessons from the Mauni Amavasya stampede were factored into the updated plan, officials said, adding, emphasis was laid on stricter access controls, enhanced barricading and real-time monitoring of high-density areas.
Inter-agency coordination was strengthened to ensure multiple forces, comprising the state police, PAC, and CAPF, work in unison to regulate crowd movement, an officer said.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath conducted an aerial survey of Maha Kumbh before he tasked officials with a “zero error” plan for the February 3 Basant Panchami Snan.
“Since 3.30 am on Monday, the CM had been monitoring live feed from Maha Kumbh from his Lucknow residence,” Director of Information Shishir said.
Maha Kumbh DIG Vaibhav Krishna was seen moving on horseback to monitor proceedings while senior IAS officials Bhanu Goswami and Ashish Goyal, both credited for the seamless conduct of the 2019 Kumbh, were specially rushed to the Maha Kumbh.
Other officials like Mela Adhikari Vijay Kiran Anand, ADG Bhanu Bhaskar, and SSP Rajesh Dwivedi all came together to guard against crowding at any particular point to avoid a January 29 repeat, now being probed by a judicial panel.
A command centre kept a vigil on pilgrim movement, and even a slight buildup at any particular point was noticed and promptly pointed out to multiple teams, an official said. One of the primary aspects of ‘Operation 11’ was the strict enforcement of a one-way movement route for devotees. More barricades were placed and additional police forces were stationed at bathing ghats.
“Enhanced security measures were introduced on major bridges, including the New Yamuna Bridge and Shastri Bridge, where Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) units were deployed. Motorcycle squads also monitored and managed the crowd,” an official said.
Decongesting railway stations and proper road transport to prevent crowding was a key component of the plan because in 2013, a stampede at the railway station had claimed nearly 40 lives of pilgrims who were returning from the Kumbh.
“There was extra security at Prayag Junction, Jhunsi Railway Station, and key bus terminals. The UP government worked closely with the railways to increase train frequency for pilgrims, while additional buses and shuttle services were introduced to facilitate smooth travel between major transit points.
“Diversions were enforced at critical junctions, with additional traffic police ensuring free movement of devotees,” an official privy to Operation 11 said.
Several police officers were posted in sensitive areas, while four senior superintendents of police and three additional superintendents of police were tasked with reinforcing safety protocols. Officers from the Anti-Corruption Department, administrative divisions, and key police units were brought in to handle pilgrim flow.
“We worked to prevent bottlenecks, monitored high-density locations, and ensured a rapid emergency response mechanism. None were allowed to sleep or crowd the passage leading to the ghats,” officials said.
“Clear instructions regarding movement, designated entry and exit points, adequate signage, and volunteers to assist devotees were all part of the plan. A public awareness drive was also carried out while emergency response teams and medical personnel were asked to remain alert for emergencies,” they said.
Mani Tiwari, a devotee who witnessed the Mauni Amavasya stampede, said the closure of pontoon bridges after the stampede and restrictions on movement caused problems for pilgrims on January 29.
“After some time, I found the exit route from Sangam and onwards rather hassle-free,” she told PTI.
Officials said the template that worked on Basant Panchami would remain in place for the upcoming bathing days on February 12 (Maghi Purnima) and February 26 (Mahashivratri), the days when a large turnout is expected. (PTI)
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