Mahakumbh to Vns: Crowd chokes Kashi roads, ghats; police brass hits streets to manage devotees
Crowds surged to Kashi Vishwanath Temple due to Mahakumbh, prompting police to manage traffic and security. Schools closed; online classes initiated.
All roads leading to the Kashi Vishwanth Temple from Maidagini and those from Nai Sadak Via Girijaghar were thickly crowded and packed beyond capacity due to the reverse flow of pilgrims to Varanasi from the Mahakumbh.
Commissioner of police, Mohit Agarwal and additional commissioner of police (law and order) S Channappa along with senior officials controlled the crowd from Maidagin to Godaulia Girijaghar intersection, Beniabagh, Ramapura, Godaulia, Dashashwamedh Ghat to Lalita Ghat and areas around Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham. The ghats- especially Dashshswamedh Gha and Lalita Ghat were packed beyond capacity.
Deputy commissioner of police Gaurav Banswal with his team was present at the ghats to control and manage the crowds.
“Police teams are deployed at various points from Maidagini to Godaualia, Dashashwamedh and in different areas of the city to control and manage the crowd of people. In addition, police personnel have been deployed at various entry points and in the city to manage the traffic and crowd,” said Channapa who himself patrolled and controlled the crowd Maidagini to Godaulia, Beniabagh, Ramapura, Godaulia, Dashashwamedh Ghat to Lalita Ghat.
He said that personnel on duty have been instructed to stay alert and ensure smooth security along with traffic management owing to the huge crowd visiting the city these days. Tight security arrangements are already in place in view of upcoming Mauni Amavasya on January 29 and Basant Panchami on February 5 and even before, when a large number of devotees bathe in the Ganga here.
Meanwhile, schools up to Class 12 have been shut in view of the crowd from Monday to February 5 in the city area. Classes will be held in the online mode.
Following the DM’s orders, district inspector of schools (DIOS), Varanasi, Awadh Kishor Singh and Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) Dr Arvind Pathak have issued instructions to this effect. Practical exams can be conducted as before.
As per instruction, classes were conducted in all schools online on Monday. Employees will visit the school as per need, said the officials.