Uttar Pradesh Declares New Maha Kumbh Mela District Ahead Of 2025 Celebrations

In a landmark move ahead of the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government has designated the Maha Kumbh area in Prayagraj as a new district.

The decision, announced on Sunday, paves the way for the creation of the new Maha Kumbh Mela district, aimed at streamlining management and ensuring smooth operations for the grand religious event scheduled for January 2025.

The newly established district will be officially named Maha Kumbh Mela.

The rationale behind this decision had been highlighted earlier by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during the Magh Mela 2024, in anticipation of the Maha Kumbh 2025 celebrations.

Prime Minister Modi is slated to visit Uttar Pradesh on 13 December to oversee preparations for Maha Kumbh 2025 and to inaugurate key development projects.

"I, Ravindra Kumar Mandad, District Magistrate, in continuation of the instructions given in the Government's letter dated 25 November 2024, exercising the powers conferred under Section 2 (th) of the Uttar Pradesh Prayagraj Mela Authority, Prayagraj Act, 2017, hereby issue a notification to declare Mahakumbh Mela District for the organisation of Mahakumbh 2025," stated the official order.

The order elaborated further: "The boundary of the Mahakumbh Mela District will be as follows. The area of the revenue villages and the entire parade area described in Annexure-I will be included in the Mahakumbh Mela District/Mela Area."

"In the Maha Kumbh Mela district/Mela area, the Mela Adhikari, Kumbh Mela, Prayagraj, will have the powers of Executive Magistrate, District Magistrate and Additional District Magistrate under Section-14 (1) and other relevant sections of the Indian Civil Defence Code, 2023, and all the powers of the District Magistrate under the said Code or any other law currently in force. They will have the authority to exercise all the powers of the Collector in all categories of cases and perform all the functions of the Collector under Section-12 and other relevant sections of the Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code, 2006 (as amended by the Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code (Amendment) Act, 2016 (U.P. Act No. 4, 2016)) by appointing an Additional Collector in the said district. This order will come into force with immediate effect," the notification stated.

The Maha Kumbh, held once every 12 years, is scheduled to take place from 13 January to 26 February 2025, in Prayagraj.

The event is expected to be a landmark in the promotion of Indian culture.

(With ANI inputs)