Mahakumbh-2025: 60 out of 370 projects running late; chief secretary Durga Shankar Mishra tells officials to expedite work

Kept in the ‘red category’ owing to the delay, most of these projects are of Prayagraj Development Authority, Public Works Department and the National Highway Authority of India.

Uttar Pradesh chief secretary Durga Shankar Mishra on Monday reviewed 370 projects being undertaken in a run-up to the mega religious fair of Mahakumbh-2025 in Sangam city. A total of 60 projects across different departments were identified as lagging during the review meeting.

Around 142 projects have been kept in the ‘yellow’ category as their work too is behind schedule but there are strong hopes of their being completed in time even as 135 projects are in the ‘green’ category and are well on schedule to be completed within the set deadline for them. (HT FILE)

Kept in the ‘red category’ owing to the delay, most of these projects are of Prayagraj Development Authority, Public Works Department and the National Highway Authority of India, informed officials.

The chief secretary, who chaired the meeting virtually, expressed disappointment with the slow progress of the projects and directed the relevant officers to work day and night to complete the work. He also ordered senior officers to monitor the workers and their work by pressing drones for the task.

Most of the work found delaying was related to the widening of a 63-kilometre stretch of Prayagraj-Rae Bareli road. The officers sought permission to complete it by December, on which the CS directed that the works concerned be completed by October at any cost.

Around 142 projects have been kept in the ‘yellow’ category as their work too is behind schedule but there are strong hopes of their being completed in time even as 135 projects are in the ‘green’ category and are well on schedule to be completed within the set deadline for them.

During the meeting, the third-party report of the road prepared by the Public Works Department was also discussed, which revealed that the road was not built to the required standards. The CS directed that the necessary corrective work be done while maintaining quality.

Principal secretaries of 15 departments present during the meeting were instructed to monitor, personally inspect the works and submit their reports.

Kumbh Mela Adhikari Vijay Kiran Anand attended the meeting from Lucknow while divisional commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, district magistrate Navneet Singh Chahal and other officers attended the meeting in NIC in Prayagraj.

During the meeting, the chief secretary instructed the officers of the irrigation department not to construct the ghats only with Mahakumbh-2025 in mind. Instead, he instructed them to carry out work in a way that the construction remains intact for the next 100 years. He emphasized that there should be no compromise on the quality of work.