UP CM Yogi Adityanath Orders Top-Priority Safety, Crowd Control for Magh Mela

The Uttar Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, prioritises Magh Mela security with enhanced crowd management, health services, river safety and orderly conduct across Prayagraj and linked districts to protect pilgrims and maintain public order.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has asked officials from Prayagraj, Varanasi and other key districts to treat pilgrim safety and smooth conduct of the Magh Mela and upcoming festivals as the state’s “topmost priority”, warning that negligence at any level will not be accepted under any circumstances.

During a late-night video conference from the official residence in Lucknow, Yogi Adityanath reviewed security and arrangements with officers from Prayagraj, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Chitrakoot, Hapur (Garhmukteshwar), Mathura-Vrindavan, Farrukhabad, Shahjahanpur and other districts linked with the Magh Mela zone, focusing on crowd inflow, basic services and law and order.

Magh Mela Security: crowd projections, health systems and river safety

The Chief Minister highlighted that the Magh Mela in Prayagraj begins on Saturday, on Paush Purnima, and officials estimate that 15 to 25 lakh pilgrims may arrive on the first day itself, so health services, emergency response and riverfront management must be strengthened in advance to handle this scale safely.

Yogi Adityanath directed that hospitals near the Mela and in connected districts keep adequate doctors, nursing staff, medicines and functional ambulances on standby, while clean toilets, safe drinking water points and separate facilities for women be arranged at all major bathing ghats and congregation areas to reduce health risks.

The Chief Minister instructed that trained divers be deployed in sufficient numbers at every sensitive ghat, with clear rescue protocols and rapid communication links, so that any accident in deep or fast-flowing stretches of the river can be dealt with immediately and without confusion.

Magh Mela Security: pilgrim facilities, crowd flow and temple areas

For pilgrim movement, Yogi Adityanath asked officials to ensure smooth entry and exit routes in the Mela area, scientific crowd management plans, functional control rooms and regular public announcements, so that devotees can move to ghats and temples without confusion or dangerous bottlenecks.

He stressed that ghats and temple premises across Prayagraj, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Mathura-Vrindavan and other centres must remain clean, well lit and supplied with uninterrupted power, with special changing rooms for women and visible help desks to support first-time visitors and elderly pilgrims.

Magh Mela Security: women’s protection and night inspections

Calling women’s safety the highest priority, the Chief Minister told police and civil officials to identify suspicious and disruptive elements in Mela zones and other public places, and to take strict legal action so that no woman devotee faces harassment, fear or inconvenience during bathing or worship.

Yogi Adityanath instructed all senior officers to physically inspect the Mela sites the same night, brief subordinate staff in detail and plug every gap, while river stretches with high current or greater depth must be secured using barricades and warning signs to prevent accidental slips or unsafe entry.

The Chief Minister ordered that no boat operator be allowed to charge arbitrary fares from pilgrims, and that district administrations keep close watch so that passengers are not overloaded, safety gear is used and any violation leads to immediate penalties or licence action.

Magh Mela Security: hotel tariffs, inter-department coordination and cleanliness

Extending the warning beyond boats, Yogi Adityanath issued clear directions against hotels and guest houses near pilgrimage centres and other major locations charging excessive rates, asking senior officers to visit the field and ensure that room tariffs and service charges remain within reasonable and declared limits.

He asked all departments to work in close coordination and at “war footing” speed, so that an atmosphere of peace, security and orderly conduct is maintained across Uttar Pradesh during the festival season and Magh Mela period, without administrative delay or confusion between agencies.

Addressing sanitation, the Chief Minister told the Urban Development and Panchayati Raj departments to intensify cleanliness drives in every district, with special focus on slum clusters and dense settlements, ensuring proper solid waste removal and supply of safe drinking water to cut the risk of infectious diseases.

Magh Mela Security: cold wave relief, law and order and flood planning

Given the severe cold wave, Yogi Adityanath ordered adequate night shelters, regular bonfires and stronger lighting at railway stations, bus stands and public places, adding that no individual should be forced to sleep under the open sky and police must help people reach shelters.

He directed that police patrolling be increased around night shelters, crowded crossings and Mela routes, so that petty crime, theft and harassment can be checked, and that needy persons, especially the elderly, be guided to nearby facilities where blankets and basic care are available.

The Chief Minister issued a strong warning against elements who try to misuse the name of organisations to spread disorder, indulge in hooliganism or pressurise the administration, stating that firm action will be taken and that law and order will not be compromised, while ordinary citizens must not face avoidable trouble.

Looking beyond the festival window, Yogi Adityanath told all districts to work on flood protection plans and prepare a detailed strategy within the next 10 days, and directed that information on these plans be shared with the Chief Minister’s Office, the Chief Secretary and the Principal Secretary.

Magh Mela Security: land protection, public hearings, helipads and traffic

Yogi Adityanath instructed authorities to act strictly against land-grabbing mafias and other anti-social elements, stressing that protecting the property and land of common people is the responsibility of the state government and that any laxity in such cases will not be tolerated.

To strengthen grievance redressal, the Chief Minister asked that public hearings be held regularly at district level, with time-bound disposal of complaints, and warned that if negligence is found in handling these matters, accountability of the concerned officers will be fixed through departmental review.

For long-term infrastructure, the Public Works Department has been told to identify land for permanent helipads near district headquarters, circuit houses, tehsil and block headquarters, so that future visits or emergency operations do not rely on temporary makeshift arrangements.

Taking note of recurring traffic jams, Yogi Adityanath directed that illegal taxi stands, bus stands and roadside vendors be removed from roads and shifted to designated locations, aiming to keep traffic flowing smoothly and to ensure that residents and pilgrims alike get relief from chronic congestion during the Magh Mela and other festivals.