ALLAHABAD: After analysing the highest crowd density spots in the ongoing Kumbh Mela with the help of crowd analytics software during Mauni Amvasya Snan wherein over five crore devotees took dip in the Sangam on Sunday, the Mela police has drafted a fresh crowd management and security plan for the last ‘shahi snan’ of Kumbh on the occasion of Basant Panchami on February 10.The Mela administration would deploy additional forces and volunteers at five identified spots — Sangam noze, Kali Sadak, Akhara Marg, Ganga Prasar Kshetra and Parade — for better crowd management during the ‘snan’, likely to be attended by over two crore devotees.Additional DG (Allahabad zone) S N Sabat said, “A team of 10 information technology (IT) experts reviewed some densely populated areas in the ongoing Kumbh and found that the density of devotees and pilgrims was the highest at Sangam noze — 3.19 persons per square meter -- followed by Kali Sadak, Peepe ka Pul, Akhara Marg, Ganga Prasar Kshetra and Parade.”The experts took help of 452 high-definition cameras installed at the Integrated Control & Command Centre (ICCC) and crowd analytics software in arriving at the conclusion.“After analyzing the facts and figure, Mela police has chalked out a fresh security plan and additional forces, including two companies of para-military forces and 10 Inspector-rank police officers would be deployed at the five locations,” he said adding, “additional forces have been called in from other zonal districts.”The Mela police had deployed over 35,000 police and para-military personnel during the Mauni Amavasya snan. However, witnessing the influx of devotees, an additional 2,000 personnel have also been summoned for foolproof security and crowd management, he added.Apart from deployment of additional forces, police would barricade other routes, including Yamuna Bridge road and Jhunsi road to maintain the flow of crowd during the Basant Panchami snan.Sabat said the flow of devotees and pilgrims would be quite high till February 11.He added that Mela police has also held a meeting with Akhara Parishad to ensure that akharas would follow the instructions issued for them, like number of vehicles and timing.“It was unanimously decided that all the 13 akharas would be taking out their shahi processions as per scheduled timings and would return to their respective camps accordingly. As per the tradition, sanyasis would take snan first followed by vairagis and Udasin akhara,” he added.Mela administration has also appealed to the akharas to limit the number of followers and devotees of to avoid crowding.President of Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad Narenda Giri has stressed that all the akharas would be following the system to avoid any crowding.

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