PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE /Dehradun
The Uttarakhand government has started preparations for the Kumbh Mela, which will begin in Haridwar in January 2027. Unlike in the past, this time the Uttarakhand Police is unlikely to receive additional forces from other States for the event. Police officials said that priority will be given to personnel who were on duty during the previous Kumbh Mela and they will be deployed again for the upcoming festival.
According to officials, the dates for the Shahi Snan have already been announced by the religious fraternity and a large number of devotees are expected to gather, especially during the main bathing days. The police have started their preparations and a central control room will be set up to monitor the situation. Security arrangements will cover the entire Kumbh area from Haridwar and Roorkee to Devprayag. CCTV and NPR cameras will be installed to monitor vehicle movement and estimate the number of visitors.
Special plans have been prepared to manage heavy crowds on the ghats. In case of overcrowding, devotees will be diverted to other locations. State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams will be deployed on the ghats to ensure the safety of pilgrims. Their training will begin next month. Police personnel who were deployed during the previous Kumbh will be given priority and called again for duty after proper training.
Garhwal range inspector general of police (IG) Rajeev Swaroop said that organising the Kumbh in 2027 will be challenging due to elections in several States. He said that during the last Kumbh, additional police forces were provided by States including Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan.
However, due to the upcoming elections, it may be difficult to get extra forces this time. The State has requested paramilitary forces from the Centre to meet security requirements.
Despite the expected shortage of additional forces, the Uttarakhand Police has assured that all necessary steps will be taken to organise a safe and peaceful Kumbh Mela in 2027.
