The Uttar Pradesh authorities has deployed two senior IAS officers, who have been a part of the staff that efficiently carried out the 2019 Ardh Kumbh, to supervise the sleek conduct of the Maha Kumbh Mela within the wake of the latest stampede that left not less than 30 pilgrims lifeless.
“Ashish Goyal and Bhanu Chandra Goswami have hands-on experience in administration in Prayagraj, including a deep insight into crowd management and inter-agency coordination during the 2019 Ardh Kumbh,” an official mentioned.
They’ve joined Mela Adhikari Vijay Kiran Anand, forming a trio that was a part of the mega truthful six years in the past, he mentioned.
In line with the official, the state authorities known as Mr. Goswami and Mr. Goyal from Lucknow to Prayagraj to make sure the sleek organisation of the upcoming Basant Panchami (Amrit Snan), one of many key bathing days of the pageant on February 3.
“The duo played a crucial role in the seamless execution of the last Kumbh and has assumed their responsibilities,” he added.
Deputy Inspector Common of Uttar Pradesh Police (Retd) Okay.P. Singh, who led the police preparations throughout the earlier Kumbh, praised the deployment of skilled officers for the occasion.
“This will help ensure the smooth conduct of the upcoming Amrit Snan,” he advised PTI.
A 1995-batch IAS officer, Mr. Goyal brings in depth administrative expertise, significantly in Prayagraj, the place he has served a number of instances in key positions.
He has a BTech in Electrical Engineering, an MA in Economics, and a PhD. He first served because the district Justice of the Peace and collector of Prayagraj (then Allahabad) from March 2007 to April 2008.
Throughout this era, he additionally briefly held the cost of vice chairman of the Allahabad Improvement Authority. He was later posted as particular secretary within the Rural Improvement Division of the UP authorities in Lucknow.
Goyal returned to Prayagraj in 2015 because the inspector basic of Stamp and Registration, earlier than being appointed divisional commissioner in 2017 — a put up he held till March 2020.
After a three-year stint as joint secretary within the Ministry of Rural Improvement in Delhi, he returned from central deputation to Uttar Pradesh in 2023 as chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Energy Company Restricted.
Mr. Goswami is a 2009-batch IAS officer and a graduate of Sanskrit. Born in 1984, he additionally held essential roles in Prayagraj, first because the vice chairman of the Allahabad Improvement Authority from Might 2017 to February 2019, and later because the district Justice of the Peace from 2019 to 2021.
After his tenure as DM, he was appointed the CEO of the Uttar Pradesh Rural Street Improvement Authority in 2021. Since September 2024, he has been serving as reduction commissioner, Consolidation Commissioner, and secretary within the Income Division of the UP authorities.
“Mr. Goswami’s familiarity with the region’s governance and his past experience in handling large-scale events, including the 2019 Ardh Kumbh, makes him a key player in managing the Maha Kumbh’s logistical and safety challenges,” an official mentioned.
Additionally, the UP authorities has deployed senior cops to strengthen safety and crowd administration forward of Basant Panchami.
The federal government has assigned 4 senior police superintendents and three further superintendents to bolster safety preparations on the non secular gathering, the place hundreds of thousands of devotees are anticipated to reach within the coming days.
Amongst them, Deependra Nath Chaudhary, who’s presently posted in Deoria, has been introduced in for the duty. Lakshminivas Mishra from the Anti-Corruption Division, Raj Dhari Chaurasia from the administration, and Shravan Kumar Singh, the DCP of Kanpur Nagar, have additionally been given key obligations.
Moreover, three officers on the stage of further superintendent of police have been entrusted with essential duties.
Vikash Chandra Tripathi, presently serving because the employees officer to the extra director basic of police, Legislation and Order, will oversee key coordination features.
Omprakash Singh, presently posted in Basti, and Praveen Kumar Yadav, stationed in Shravasti, will contribute to the group administration and safety technique to stop any extra tragic incidents.
With the Maha Kumbh witnessing an awesome inflow of pilgrims, the officers will likely be chargeable for imposing tight crowd management to handle massive gatherings effectively, the official mentioned.
They are going to work in the direction of enhancing motion pathways to stop congestion and bottlenecks. A key focus will likely be on guaranteeing a speedy emergency response mechanism to deal with crises successfully, he mentioned.
Safety coordination amongst a number of companies will likely be strengthened, together with real-time monitoring of high-density areas to stop overcrowding.
The authorities may even implement enhanced barricading and stricter entry controls to keep away from conditions that would result in one other stampede. Elevated police patrolling will likely be carried out throughout key areas to take care of order and make sure the security of devotees, the official mentioned.
The Maha Kumbh is taken into account among the many holiest Hindu pilgrimages and is held each 12 years on Triveni Sangam banks. The mega congregation began on January 13 and can proceed until February 26.
To date over 30 crore pilgrims have visited the Maha Kumbh and the UP authorities, which is internet hosting the occasion, expects the footfall can go as much as 45 crore.
A stampede within the early hours on Wednesday at Sangam Nostril left 30 devotees lifeless and 60 injured as they moved in a tightly packed crowd to take a dip within the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and legendary Saraswati on the event of Mauni Amavasya.
Revealed – February 01, 2025 10:13 am IST
