Pole-to-pole security model to ensure event-free Mauni Amavasya snan

Prayagraj: The mela police on Saturday implemented a pole-to-pole security model to ensure foolproof arrangements for Mauni Amavasya on Sunday—the biggest and most auspicious snan of the Magh Mela that is likely to see about 3-4 crore devotees taking dip at Sangam."Considering the crowd pressure, a pole-to-pole security model was implemented. Under this, security personnel are assigned duties between every 2 electric poles at the Sangam area," SP (Magh Mela) Neeraj Pandey said. More than 600 police personnel are being deployed in the Sangam nose area alone. While over 15,000 cops are deployed for the entire mela campus, 12 joint teams of jal police, NDRF and PAC (flood control) will also maintain a vigilant presence on the 16 main ghats. In addition to a network of 1,524 CCTV cameras installed in the mela and city area, continuous monitoring of the crowd is being done through drones. For the first time, the Fort gate will be kept open to facilitate ambulance services in case of emergencies. Similarly, for the first time at the Magh Mela, 2 water ambulances are also deployed to handle any kind of emergency. Also, there would be no plying of boats on Sunday.A huge crowd of devotees has been gathering since Saturday morning to take a holy dip in the Triveni on this auspicious occasion. Mela Adhikari Rishiraj said over 1.5 crore devotees have already taken bath at the Triveni Sangam by Saturday afternoon. "As many as 24 ghats were constructed, extending over a length of 8 km in the Mela area. Arrangements were made for devotees to bathe at nearby ghats," he said. A zone system is being followed to continuously manage the crowd. Devotees will be directed to bathe in the sector from which they arrived and then sent back through the designated exit route. Two-wheeler and four-wheeler vehicles will not be allowed beyond the parking areas at 42 locations. Noted religious scholar Dr Amitabh Gour said: "There is a tradition of bathing in holy rivers in silence on Mauni Amavasya. Performing prayers, penance and bathing in silence leads to the attainment of all kinds of blessings."