Haridwar Kumbh Mela 2021 limited to 30 days, to begin on April 1

Dehradun, Feb 18: Chief Secretary Om Prakash on Thursday said that the Uttarakhand government has decided to limit the Kumbh this year for 30 days amid ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The government will issue the notice by the end of March stating that this time Kumbh will be held from April 1 to 30.

The state government has also emphasised reducing the duration of Kumbh as they fear becoming a hot spot of the virus. Earlier, the Haridwar District Magistrate C Ravishankar said that pilgrims will need passes to attend Kumbh.

"Pilgrims will need passes for Kumbh and the passes will be issued only after submission of a negative RT-PCR test report, medical certificate, and identification proof. Those without passes will be denied entry," said Ravishankar.

Ravishankar also informed that the district administration has demanded 70,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines for the personnel posted on duty to ensure their safety. The Kumbh administration has also put cameras at the Ganga Ghats to monitor the crowd.

The Maha Kumbh is celebrated in a cycle of 12 years at four river-bank pilgrimage sites across India. The fair will conclude in the last week of April.