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Magh Mela 2026: Prayagraj ghats to be numbered, high-floating balloons to mark key locations
In a first for a Magh Mela, information regarding the ghats and other significant sites will also be available on Google Maps, ensuring easy access for both local and out-of-town visitors.
To improve navigation and enhance the experience for devotees, the upcoming Magh Mela-2026 will feature numbered ghats, helping pilgrims to identify and locate key spots. Additionally, large high-floating balloons will be placed at prominent ghats and spots, marking their locations visibly for attendees, informed district officials on Thursday.
The decision follows a key meeting chaired by additional director general of police, Sanjeev Gupta, and divisional commissioner Soumya Agarwal, where officers discussed the preparations for the religious gathering.
Notably, in a first for a Magh Mela, information regarding the ghats and other significant sites will also be available on Google Maps, ensuring easy access for both local and out-of-town visitors. Google officials will soon be consulted to ensure smooth integration in this regard, they added.
In the meeting, the Prayagraj Mela Authority officials first provided information about this year’s layout and the preparations made so far after the receding of the floodwaters. They shared details about tendering of works, construction of pontoon bridges, work by the electricity department, among others. It was also mentioned that parking arrangements will be available on major routes.
Officers were instructed to study the entry and exit routes carefully. This time, the signage system in the Mela area will be further strengthened. A joint team of the Mela and Police administration will prepare its design.
IG Ajay Kumar Mishra, police commissioner of Prayagraj Joginder Kumar, additional police commissioner Ajay Pal, Mela Adhikari Rishi Raj, municipal commissioner Seelam Sai Teja, additional mela officer Dayanand Prasad, and others were present at the meeting.
Due to the heavy crowds at Jhusi Station, Tikar Mafi Ashram, and Chhatnag Ghat witnessed during the Mahakumbh-2025, the district and police administration do not want to take any risks this time. After the meeting, officers visited these locations and assessed the situation. The traffic police have been instructed to prepare a special plan for traffic management at these spots so that devotees coming from distant places on bathing festival days do not face inconvenience, said officials.
