Maha Kumbh Mela: UP govt to transform restaurants, hotels, dhabas on major routes connecting Prayagraj

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], June 21 (ANI): To make the Maha Kumbh Mela of 2025 more grand and divine, the Uttar Pradesh government announced to provide subsidies for the transformation of dhabas, restaurants, and hotels on the major routes in order to offer improved facilities to tourists and devotees attending the festival.
Regional Tourism Officer of Prayagraj, Aparajita Singh said, "To improve the experience of tourists and devotees visiting Prayagraj, the Yogi government is going to make the major dhabas, restaurants, and hotels located on the main routes smart."
She further stated, "For this, 75 of its representatives have been selected, who will receive online training from Friday. These include dhabas, restaurants, and hotels located on the major routes connecting Lucknow-Prayagraj, Kanpur-Prayagraj, Rewa-Prayagraj, Chitrakoot-Prayagraj,, Mirzapur- Prayagraj, and Varanasi- Prayagraj.
The selected dhabas, restaurants, and hotels on the Maha Kumbh's main routes previously needed more basic facilities. To address this, a plan has been developed to upgrade their kitchens, seating areas, and parking spaces.
Additionally, selected representatives are receiving training and government support, including subsidies for transformation.
The state's new tourism policy holds great potential for elevating religious, spiritual, and cultural tourism alongside agro and eco-tourism. It introduces 22 new activities, such as wellness resorts, heritage homestays, budget hotels, heritage hotels, star hotels, eco-tourism units, caravan tourism, exhibitions, pilgrimages, Dharamshala, all-weather seasonal camps, reservoirs, lakes, wellness tourism, and adventure tourism.
To further this expansion, large dhabas, restaurants, and hotels on major routes are included, and they are receiving a 25 per cent subsidy on investment amounts.
The next Maha Kumbh Mela will take place from January 14 to February 26, 2025, in Prayagraj (Allahabad), India.
The festival will begin on January 13, 2025, with the Poush Purnima bathing festival and end on February 26, 2025, with Maha Shivaratri.
The main bathing festival, known as the "Shahi Snan" (royal baths), will take place on January 14 (Makar Sankranti), January 29 (Mauni Amavasya), and February 3 (Basant Panchami). (ANI)