New Delhi : As Prayagraj sees crowds of devotees swell on the third ‘Amrit Snan’ of the Maha Kumbh, government offices in the city have been given a holiday to help manage the large crowd for the occasion of Basant Panchami.

The District Magistrate of Prayagraj has declared a holiday in government offices.

“It is hereby informed that on the occasion of the main bathing festival of Basant Panchami, on February 3, due to the large crowd of devotees and bathers and traffic restrictions, a local holiday has been declared for government offices in Prayagraj district to maintain peace and law and order,” the order said. With over 5 crore devotees expected to gather for the ‘Amrit Snan’, the state government has put extra precautionary measures in place, ensuring that the sequence of spiritual sects (akharas) for the holy dip is carefully managed.

The Sangam, the site of last week’s deadly crowd crush that resulted in the death of 30 people and injuries to over 60, is taking a more organised approach this time to prevent overcrowding and any potential accidents.

At the break of dawn, several seers from various akharas gathered for the ritual, marking the beginning of the third ‘Amrit Snan’ of the Mela. By 4 am, reports indicated that 16.58 lakh devotees had already participated in the holy dip, with the Uttar Pradesh government anticipating a total of 5 crore devotees for Monday alone.