Maha Kumbh: UP government set to introduce 40 electric buses for devotees

Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 5 (ANI): The Uttar Pradesh government will introduce electric buses to ensure convenient transportation services for devotees gearing up to visit the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela, which is scheduled to commence on January 13. Nearly 10 to 15 buses are set to begin operations in the holy city ahead of the Kumbh.
Additionally, 30 more buses will be dispatched from the Lucknow headquarters to Prayagraj ahead of the main bathing festival, Mauni Amavasya, on January 29.
Electric buses will operate on various routes to provide seamless transport services to devotees, making the journey more convenient. With crores of people expected to attend the Maha Kumbh, these buses are set to play a crucial role in managing transportation.
Ajit Kumar Singh, General Manager (GM) Technical of Uttar Pradesh Transport Corporation, stated in a press release, "Before the start of the Maha Kumbh Mela, 10 to 15 electric buses will begin operations in Prayagraj. Additionally, around 30 to 40 buses will arrive in Prayagraj before the Mauni Amavasya festival."
He further informed that the buses are being supplied by Switch Mobility. Each bus is 12 meters long and can run for more than 200 kilometres on a single charge.
Singh mentioned that the new electric buses allocated to the Transport Corporation are being directly dispatched to the Prayagraj area. Previously, pre-delivery inspections were conducted in Kanpur, but considering the Maha Kumbh Mela, these inspections will now be carried out in the Prayagraj region under the Prayag Depot.
After registration, the buses will be deployed in Prayagraj. He added that the Regional Manager of Prayagraj has already identified the routes on which these buses will operate.
MK Trivedi, Regional Manager of the Prayagraj region, stated that a comprehensive route plan has been prepared for electric buses, covering both city and intercity routes. He mentioned that charging facilities have been arranged at four locations in Prayagraj, including Nehru Park, Bela Kachhar, and Andawa.
"The routes for these buses have been finalized in coordination with the fair administration and police. On peak days, buses will operate on six routes, while on normal days, they will run on 11 routes," Trivedi added.
He assured that the operation of the buses would commence immediately upon their arrival.
In the second phase, the Transport Department plans to introduce double-decker buses alongside other electric buses. A total of 120 electric buses are expected in this phase, including 20 double-decker buses and 100 buses of 9-meter and 12-meter lengths.
The double-decker buses will be supplied by Switch Mobility, while Pinnacle Mobility Pvt. Ltd. will deliver the remaining two types. However, it may be challenging to operate these buses during the Mahakumbh.
The Maha Kumbh is being celebrated after 12 years and a huge turnout of devotees is expected in Prayagraj from January 13 to February 26. To prevent mishaps, the district administration has been taking important steps to ensure the safety of the devotees, especially for crowd management and avoiding fire incidents.
For Maha Kumbh, the administration has opted for technological tools along with the deployment of personnel to ensure the safety of the devotees. ADG (Fire Department) Padmaja Chauhan informed that the administration has increased the manpower and has deployed Quick Response Vehicles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) that can run on any kind of terrain, firefighting robots and fire mist bikes.
The main bathing rituals, 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)