VARANASI: As lakhs of pilgrims from Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj continued to reach Varanasi, district authorities extended restrictions while CM Yogi Adityanath conducted an aerial survey of the congested city roads Saturday afternoon to assess the situation.
Ganga aarti at the ghats were suspended until Feb 26. Classes up to 8 remained suspended. Schools will be online only. Traffic restrictions and diversions were strictly enforced to manage the swelling crowd.
The influx of pilgrims has led to record-breaking numbers at Kashi Vishwanath temple, which saw more than 8 lakh devotees Thursday alone. The trend continued through Friday and Saturday, keeping the temple premises heavily crowded.
After his helicopter sortie, chief minister Yogi adjusted his schedule, forgoing his planned visit to Kaal Bhairav temple and instead reaching Kashi Vishwanath temple. He did not take the jam-packed roads - instead chose the Ganga, boarding a cruise to make his way to the shrine. From there, he returned to Namo Ghat by cruise to inaugurate the Kashi Tamil Sangamam event.
With the pilgrimage season in full swing, officials monitored the situation closely to ensure safety and crowd management across the city. Devotees traveling between Prayagraj, Ayodhya and Varanasi - completing the holy triangle - added to the pressure.
"In view of the very high crowd load, Ganga aarti organisers had consented to keep the choreographed daily evening aartis postponed," said DCP Gaurav Banswal, adding that the restriction on boat operations in Ganga after 6pm will remain in place.
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