Mahakumbh infra to stay up and running till Ardh Kumbh

The 45-day Mahakumbh 2025, the biggest religious gathering on the globe of over 66 crore devotees, may have concluded last month, however, the show will continue, welcoming tourists from across the globe, be it the water laser show or the facade lighting of six prominent points in the city, including four ancient temples.

With an eye on the 2031 Kumbh Mela or Ardh Kumbh, the state government has a five-year agreement with private agencies providing the service.

For example, the facade lighting of six prominent points in the city, installed with a budget of ₹25 crore before Mahakumbh 2025, will continue to remain illuminated for the next five years till next mela.

Also the contract of water laser show at Kaali Ghat on the banks of Yamuna, established at a cost of ₹21 crore, will continue non-stop between 7pm and 7.45pm, till the commencement of the next 2031 Kumbh Mela.

Further, sources in the department of tourism informed that the state government was planning to develop the riverfront area around Boat Club, located near Akbar’s Fort at Sangam till Ardh Kumbh 2031, the blueprint of which was soon to be prepared and forwarded to state government by Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA).

According to general manager, Prayagraj zone of Uttar Pradesh Projects Corporation Limited (UPPCL), Suresh Chandra Yadav, with an aim to promote Prayagraj as a religious tourist destination till the next Ardh Kumbh, the state government had entered into an agreement with private agencies for retaining the facade lighting of six important sites around Sangam which include Shanker Viman Mandapam temple in mela area besides Alopi Shankari temple, Nagvasuki temple and the Shringi Rishi Ashram, Shringverpur besides two bridges of New Yamuna bridge and Shastri Bridge, located near Sangam.

According to the project manager, UPPCL, Prayagraj, Rajesh Sharma, the facade lighting and the water laser show has a contractual operational period of five years till the next mela.

The facade lighting involving thousands of LED bulbs of 5 watts to 1500 watts capacity, is likely to consume electricity of nearly ₹3 lakh per month.

Says Sharma, the facade lighting at New Yamuna bridge has a consumption load of 150 kilowatt which would roughly consume power worth between ₹50,000 to ₹1 lakh every month. Given the estimate for one of the sites, all six sites of facade lighting besides the water laser show were expected to consume electricity worth around ₹5 lakh per month.

During concluding ceremony of Mahakumbh 2025, deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya had announced the beginning of preparations for 2031 Ardh Kumbh mela.