Mahakumbh-2025: 21 development projects worth ₹395 cr approved
State-level apex committee approves ₹395 crore for 21 projects for Mahakumbh-2025 in Prayagraj, including giant idols and beautification works.
In all, 21 different development projects for Mahakumbh-2025 worth ₹395 crore have been approved by the state-level apex committee formed by the state government for overseeing and approving Mahakumbh-related projects.
The projects include giant idols of Maharishi Valmiki and Lord Brahma at two crossings in Prayagraj. After approval of the budget, the development works will gain pace.
Chief secretary Durga Shankar Mishra presided over the seventh meeting of the Apex committee for the preparation of Mahakumbh –2025 through video conferencing. In the meeting, the committee also gave its nod to different development projects in Prayagraj.
It was decided that a giant statue of Maharishi Valmiki will be installed at Andawa Crossing in Jhunsi area, while another giant statue of Lord Brahma will be put up at Leprosy Mission Crossing in Naini. Both statues will be made of marble.
The committee approved completion of partially constructed flyover from Begum Bazar ROB (railway overbridge) to Bhagwatpur along with beautification and development of seven ghats which include Balua Ghat, Arail Ghat, Maujagiri Ghat, Kali Ghat, Rasulabad Ghat, Chhatnag Ghat and Nageshwar Ghat.
Under the beautification project, these Ghats will have facilities of changing rooms, facade lighting and painting, plantation, stone boulders, benches and dustbins. Moreover, shades constructed earlier at these Ghats will also be beautified.
Vending zones will come up at Bakshi Bandh, Madhwapur Sabzi Mandi and GT Jawahar Crossing. Besides allotment of shops, arrangements of light, railings, drinking water and interlocking will be made.
Mela officer Vijay Kiran Anand attended the meeting at Lucknow while divisional commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, district magistrate Navneet Chahal and other officials attended the meeting through video-conferencing in Prayagraj.
Among the two main development works that have been approved by the apex committee include facade lighting on the walls of the fort at Sangam. The other project is development of footpath from Yashlok Hospital to Balson Crossing, beautification of road on Mirzapur highway from Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Crossing to Rajju Bhaiyya College, parking inside Saraswati Hi-tech city, repair and beautification of road from Bairana crossing to Yamuna Bank Road, repair of jogging track at Chandra Shekhar Azad Park, and repair of roads inside the park. Moreover, beautification work will be completed on the route from Civil Airport to GT Jawahar Crossing to IIIT crossing till GT Road.
Managing Ganga flow
Prayagraj Mela Authority has also received approval to properly organise the flow of the Ganga in coordination with Inland Waterways Authority.
The Mela Authority will also conduct topographical survey, mathematical hydraulic modelling study, bamboo pin installation and drazing works. Moreover, it will also conduct a training programme for tour guides, boatmen, volunteers, Kumbh Sewa Mitr, vendors, police personnel and officials for behavioural change, project management, module, soft skills along with works and performance.
Mela officials said that for this purpose, a letter has earlier been sent to some major institutes of the country. Besides, the Mela Authority will also conduct a 12-month fellowship programme for sanitisation, mobility, crowd management, security and surveillance, communication services, temporary infrastructure development, layout planning etc.
APPROVED PROJECTS
Five projects of Prayagraj Development Authority
Nagar Nigam will construct 199 roads in 91 wards
One project of Bridge Authority
Four projects of Public Works Department while 2 projects each of the power corporation and Mela Authority have been approved.