Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said reaching the Gangasagar Mela is tougher than getting to the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj as one has to cross a river to reach the venue. She inaugurated the Gangasagar Mela at Babughat in the city this evening. Miss Banerjee reiterated that the Centre should declare the Gangasagar mela a national fair.

She further announced that the state government is constructing a 5 km long, four-lane bridge on the river at an estimated cost of Rs 1,500 crore. Once the bridge is completed, reaching Gangasagar will no longer be a problem. “It is unfortunate that the Centre, despite our requests, did not take any steps to provide money. But we are going ahead with the project, and after three years, reaching the Gangasagar Mela ground will not be a problem at all,” she said. Miss Banerjee said the state government has provided Rs 5 lakh insurance cover for the pilgrims visiting Gangasagar, along with the officials of the state administration, police, fire brigade personnel, and journalists covering the event. “We have left no stone unturned to ensure safety and security for the people visiting the Gangasagar Mela.

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I have visited the place and held a meeting with the senior officials, including the Chief Secretary and Home Secretary, and oversaw the arrangements. More than one crore people had visited the mela in 2024,” she said. Miss Banerjee said around 4,000 buses will be deployed, which includes 2,300 state-run buses, 250 private buses, and those coming from other states, to ferry pilgrims to and from Gangasagar. The state government has withdrawn pilgrim tax. Miss Banerjee said: “Before 2011, visiting the mela was not a pleasant experience. There was no place to stay for the pilgrims. The place was untidy. Now things have improved. The pilgrims can stay at the venue, and the whole area has been brightly illuminated. There are bio-toilets and drinking water facilities for the pilgrims.” She said there are 3,000 volunteers, and in every bus carrying outstation pilgrims there will be a guide called Sagarbandhu who will guide the pilgrims who do not understand Bengali. She said arrangements for air ambulance and water ambulance have been made to bring pilgrims to the hospitals.

Elaborate police arrangements have been made to maintain peace and security. She asked the police not to allow overcrowded vessels to ply. The vessels will run for 20 hours, and powerful fog lights have been attached to every launch and vessel. She urged the pilgrims not to be in a rush, and follow the instructions of the administration.