‘UP emerging as most suitable state to harness spiritual tourism’
Prayagraj: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the successful organisation of Maha Kumbh 2025, calling it “a truly global event”.
Addressing journalists at the media centre here, a day after the conclusion of the Maha Kumbh, Adityanath said, “Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj truly became a global event, and the credit goes to the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His vision has helped us successfully execute this grand event, and you (the media) have played a crucial role in conveying its significance to the country and the world. I thank you for that.”
He also highlighted Modi’s concept of integrating faith and economy, stating that spiritual tourism holds immense potential, with Uttar Pradesh emerging as the most suitable state to harness it.
“In 2024 alone, 64 crore pilgrims and tourists visited various religious sites across Uttar Pradesh, including Ayodhya, Varanasi, Mathura, Prayagraj, Chitrakoot, Vindhyachal, Gorakhpur and Naimisharanya,” the chief minister said.
Over the past 45 days, more than 66 crore pilgrims and tourists visited Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh, creating new records in religious tourism, he added.
Adityanath also said the Maha Kumbh led to the development of five major spiritual tourism corridors in Uttar Pradesh.
The first corridor connects Varanasi and Mirzapur to Ayodhya and Gorakhpur via Prayagraj. The second links Prayagraj to Lalapur and Chitrakoot. The third runs from Prayagraj to Lucknow and Naimisharanya. The fourth connects Prayagraj to Agra via the Bundelkhand Expressway, extending to Mathura, Vrindavan and Sukhteerth.
In the past 45 days, millions of devotees travelled through these five corridors, including not only locals but also pilgrims from across the country and the world, Adityanath said.
Representatives from more than 100 countries participated in the Maha Kumbh, including ambassadors and high commissioners from 74 nations, he said.
Additionally, ministers and presidents from 12 countries attended the event, along with numerous other international devotees, the chief minister said.
The central and state governments, under the ‘double-engine’ governance model (BJP in Centre and Uttar Pradesh), spent approximately Rs 7,500 crore on both permanent and temporary infrastructure for the Maha Kumbh, the chief minister said.
“These included the construction of over 200 roads, 14 flyovers, multiple underpasses, and 12 corridors in Prayagraj for the first time. These developments have significantly enhanced the city’s appeal to tourists,” he said.
“To ensure seamless arrangements for the devotees, nearly one lakh personnel from the state and central governments were deployed. Among them, the highest number was from the Uttar Pradesh police, along with personnel from the PAC, fire services, water police, home guards, ATS, and STF commandos,” Adityanath said.
The entire Mela area was monitored using facial recognition technology and AI-integrated surveillance. Around 30,000 CCTV cameras provided real-time updates on the number of people entering the premises, tracking their movements, and even counting those taking a dip in the Sangam, he said.
The Chief Minister personally monitored the arrangements, conducting aerial surveys during his visits to Prayagraj. When outside the city, he relied on the 30,000 AI-enabled cameras, which provided a 360-degree view of the entire venue, allowing real-time assessment of crowd movement and pressure in different areas.
The arrangements in Prayagraj were extensive, with over 15,000 sanitation workers deployed to maintain cleanliness, Adityanath said.
More than 7,000 buses of the state transport corporation along with 750 shuttle buses were in operation. Various central government departments, including the ministries of railways, civil aviation, and road transport and highways, played crucial roles in facilitating transportation, the chief minister said.
“The Indian Railways operated nearly 13,000 special trains for the Maha Kumbh. Additionally, 3.15 crore passengers travelled to Prayagraj using Uttar Pradesh State Transport Corporation buses,” the chief minister added.
