The annual Magh Mela in Prayagraj, the land of the confluence of Ganga, the Yamuna, and the invisible Saraswati, will begin on January 3, 2026.
Extensive security arrangements have been made in the city and at the Magh Mela site for the first bathing festival on Paush Purnima on Saturday.
The Magh Mela will begin on Paush Purnima on Saturday and conclude on February 15, coinciding with Shivratri.
The Railways have announced several special trains to Prayagraj for pilgrims, while the UP government has deployed over 500 special buses from different cities to the Sangam city during the Magh mela period.
In the city area, Deputy Commissioner of Police (City) Manish Kumar Shandilya has formed several police teams. Security has been tightened at railway stations and bus stands, while hotels and restaurants are also being inspected. Police forces have been deployed at all entry points of the Magh Mela, and regular checking is being conducted.
Besides, more than 1,100 CCTV cameras in the city area and over 400 CCTV cameras and drone cameras in the Magh Mela area are being used for surveillance. AI-enabled cameras are also being used for crowd management and traffic management.
DCP City Manish Kumar Shandilya has claimed that the city’s security arrangements are robust in view of the Magh Mela.