A Sadhvi or a Hindu holy woman reacts as she takes a holy dip during the "Maha Kumbh Mela", or the Great Pitcher Festival, in Prayagraj.
Reuters
A temporary city has been established across 4,000 hectares, featuring 150,000 tents.
About 69,000 LED and solar lights illuminate the pathways which are maintained by 15,000 sanitation workers.
More than 50,000 security personnel are deployed to ensure the safety of visitors.
India’s Maha Kumbh Mela, or Great Pitcher Festival, is expected to be the world’s largest gathering of humanity, with 400 million visitors anticipated at the six-week event that began this week in the northern city of Prayagraj.
A Naga Sadhu, or a Hindu holy man, stands with his body smeared with ash during the "Maha Kumbh Mela", or the Great Pitcher Festival, in Prayagraj.Reuters
Here’s how authorities are managing the massive crowds:
Tent City
A temporary city has been established across 4,000 hectares (9,990 acres) along the riverbanks, featuring 150,000 tents for devotees and nearly an equal number of toilets.
About 69,000 LED and solar lights illuminate the pathways through the settlement, which is maintained by 15,000 sanitation workers.
Security
Temporary police stations and checkpoints have been set up, including three floating water police stations on the river. Paramilitary troops and bomb disposal squads are on standby.
More than 50,000 security personnel are deployed to ensure the safety of visitors.
Devotees sit under a temporary platform on the banks of the river Ganges during the "Maha Kumbh Mela", or the Great Pitcher Festival, in Prayagraj.Reuters
Technology
Authorities are utilizing closed-circuit television cameras, drones, and tethered drones to monitor the festival area. Anti-drone technology is being used to detect and remove unauthorized drones.
Underwater drones capable of operating at depths of 100 meters (3,330 feet) with advanced low-light technology are also in use.
Fire Safety
Every tent is equipped with fire-fighting tools. Authorities have allocated more than 1.3 billion rupees ($15 million) for fire safety, with 351 firefighting vehicles and 2,000 trained personnel ready to respond to emergencies.
A helicopter drops flower petals on the devotees crossing pontoon bridges on the day they take a holy dip at Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers with the mythical, invisible Saraswati river, during the "Maha Kumbh Mela", or the Great Pitcher Festival, in Prayagraj.Reuters
Lost-and-Found Centers
Dedicated centers, including sections for women and children, are helping reunite families separated in the crowds. Loudspeakers installed along the riverbanks make continuous announcements about missing individuals.
($1 = 86.5650 Indian rupees)
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