
Kumbh Mela 2025: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday announced that it will start operations of a special bus service from Jammu to Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj to enable the devotees from the valley to participate in the Mahakumbh, an official said.
State Transport Minister Satish Sharma flagged off the special end-to-end bus service, an official spokesperson said. The bus will start its journey from the Jammu bus stand at 5 am every day and take the pilgrims to Prayagraj for a holy dip at the Sangam.
It will then return with the devotees after a night halt, Sharma said. "The government is committed to promoting religious tourism and will take many significant initiatives to improve connectivity between major religious destinations in the region, including Budda Amarnath, Shahdara Sharif, Sudh Mahadev and the Golden temple," he said.
The Minister also assured that the introduction of the bus service was expected to bring a range of benefits to Jammu, including higher revenue generation.
45 crore people expected to attend Mahakumbh: UP Govt
In just six days of the Maha Kumbh Mela, more than seven crore devotees, Kalpavasis and revered seers have taken a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam. The Uttar Pradesh government estimates that more than 45 crore people will attend the Maha Kumbh this time, according to an official statement.
With such a massive influx of devotees, the security of the crowd is a major challenge for the Maha Kumbh Police, the statement said. However, the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC), set up in the fair area, is proving to be a boon in managing the crowd.
It not only helps control the huge influx of devotees, but also plays a key role in various types of surveillance, the statement said. The ICCC played an important role in managing the massive crowd on the first day of the Maha Kumbh, specifically during the "Paush Purnima Snan" and "Amrit Snan" on Makar Sankranti.
(With PTI inputs)