Prayagraj: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Prayagraj on Friday to oversee preparations for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela 2025. Upon his arrival at the airport, he was greeted by Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
The Prime Minister then traveled to Arail Ghat, where he met with saints and conducted a ceremonial puja at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers. He was warmly welcomed by sadhus and saints and later took the Nishadraj Cruise to Sangam, with thousands of spectators lining the streets to witness the event. To manage the large crowd, access for heavy vehicles was restricted.
Ahead of his visit, PM Modi expressed on X his commitment to making the Maha Kumbh a divine and grand experience, ensuring that all necessary facilities are available for devotees. He planned to review development projects related to the event and inaugurate several new initiatives following his puja in Prayagraj.
During his visit, the Prime Minister will inaugurate 167 development projects valued at Rs 5,500 crores, which include significant infrastructure developments such as the Akshayvat Corridor, Hanuman Temple Corridor, Saraswati Koop, Bhardwaj Ashram Corridor, and Shringverpur Dham Corridor.
Additionally, he will unveil renovation and restoration projects for 29 temples, new bridges, over bridges, and various road projects, along with upgrades to railways, airports, and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) projects. To promote a clean and pollution-free Ganga, PM Modi will launch initiatives to treat and divert small drains flowing into the river, preventing untreated water from reaching it. There will also be new initiatives for drinking water and electricity infrastructure.
Moreover, the Prime Minister will introduce the Kumbh Sahayak AI Chatbot, which aims to provide real-time assistance and updates to devotees during the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025.
On Thursday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inspected the preparations for PM Modi’s visit, dedicating four hours to review the planned venues and discuss the Prime Minister’s engagement with Akhara saints.