Mahakumbh Nagar, Jan 30 (PTI) Millions of devotees flocked to the Triveni Sangam and other ghats at the Maha Kumbh to take a dip on Thursday with the Uttar Pradesh government ramping up efforts to ensure crowd management and safety of people a day after the stampede tragedy.

More than 2.06 crore devotees took the holy bath till 8 pm, according to the state government.

The crowd pressure was relatively lower Thursday and all bridges were reopened, allowing smoother movement within the mela area, officials said.

With the focus on crowd management after the stampede left at least 30 people dead and 60 injured, the state government said no VIP protocols will be enforced by the administration on the special bathing days of February 3, 12 and 26.

More than 29.64 crore devotees have taken the snan till Thursday.

As devotees braved the pre-dawn chill and reduced visibility to proceed towards the ghats for the ritual bath, many others spent sleepless nights waiting for news of their missing loved ones.

According to a circular, the government said it had announced the decision on VIP movement before the start of the Kumbh Mela, and now strict implementation of this directive has been initiated.

"This initiative aims to ensure a smooth and memorable experience for general pilgrims, allowing them to participate in the sacred baths without disruptions caused by VIP movements, route diversions, or security restrictions," it said.

Additionally, the government has mandated that VIP and VVIP movements must be notified at least one week in advance.

The government also appealed to the public to exercise patience during the expected large gatherings on Basant Panchami, Magh Purnima, and Mahashivratri and urged them to take necessary precautions while participating in these bathing festivals.

DIG Maha Kumbh Vaibhav Krishna said the police are actively working on security arrangements for the upcoming Amrit Snan on Basant Panchami Snan (February 3), ensuring tight measures in the mela area.

He said all bridges have been reopened, allowing smoother movement within the mela area.

However, before Basant Panchami, new restrictions will be imposed at key locations for better crowd management and more police personnel and security forces will be deployed, Krishna added.

Following Wednesday's tragic incident, the 30 pontoon bridges in the mela area were operating under a one-way traffic system. This meant that each bridge allowed movement in only one direction, with a parallel pontoon bridge designated for return routes.

Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Anshuman Mishra told PTI that the area would remain a no-vehicle zone until the crowd disperses completely.

No outside vehicles would be allowed to enter the city until the crowd exits the mela area, he said, adding essential services such as police administration vehicles, ambulances and suction machines would, however, be allowed entry.

Meanwhile, the three-member judicial commission set up by the Uttar Pradesh government to probe the stampede will visit the site on Friday.

Panel head Harsh Kumar, a retired judge of the Allahabad High Court, said the commission has a month to wrap up its investigation but will try to expedite it.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh and Director General of Police Prashant Kumar are also here for a detailed probe into the stampede and also a thorough review of the arrangements in the mela area on the directions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

They visited the injured at Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital in Prayagraj and assured them that "the chief minister has issued clear instructions that no effort should be spared in their treatment".

Allahabad MP Ujjwal Raman Singh also visited the injured at the hospital. The Congress leader strongly criticised the Kumbh administration and police, calling the incident a "major failure in crowd management".

He also alleged that the Kumbh administration was negligent and did not take expert advice despite repeated warnings.

As Parliament's Budget session is all set to begin Friday, the opposition parties have demanded a discussion on the alleged mismanagement of the Maha Kumbh festival.

At an all-party meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on the eve of the session, opposition parties also accused the Centre of politicisation of the Kumbh congregation and prevalence of VIP culture at the cost of the common man.

At the Maha Kumbh, the devotees were undeterred by the pre-dawn chill and reduced visibility due to the dense fog in their bid to take a dip seeking 'moksha' or salvation.

The weather gradually cleared and bright sunshine spread across the Kumbh Mela area. However, the influx of pilgrims towards Sangam and other ghats remained constant throughout the day.

Many devotees kept moving towards Sangam from the Prayagraj city side via the Kachchap Dwar, while several others who had arrived for Mauni Amavasya and the subsequent rituals were seen heading back towards the city.

So far, more than 27.58 crore devotees have taken the dip at Maha Kumbh, the government said.

DIG Krishna clarified that according to the official guidelines, there was no VIP movement in the mela area on Mauni Amavasya, and the same protocol will be followed for Basant Panchami.

Triveni Sangam, considered the most sacred bathing site, is located on one side of the mela area, while several other ghats, situated along the Ganges and closer to the akharas, are on the opposite side, connected by these pontoon bridges.

Geeta Agarwal, who travelled from Guwahati in Assam with her family, told PTI, I had come with my children and grandchildren to take a holy dip on Mauni Amavasya, but due to the overwhelming crowd, we couldn't reach Triveni Sangam. Today, we are trying again, but if we can't make it, we will take a dip at another ghat to seek blessings.

She further mentioned facing difficulties navigating the mela area, as directions were unclear at multiple spots. On Wednesday, she had to rely on others' guidance several times, which sometimes led her in the wrong direction.

Pramod Panwar, who hails from Gurugram in Haryana, said he reached here on Wednesday with his family and was returning now.

"We took a dip early today. We came here yesterday but it was very crowded. Today the situation is better. We thank Modi and Yogi for the arrangements," he told PTI Videos.

Delhi resident Asha Patel was also among those who took a dip.

"We keep hearing something good or bad about what's happening but we don't focus on that. I had been wanting to come to the Maha Kumbh for a long time and finally it happened. Thanks to Modi, Yogi, our Gods and ancestors," she said.

In a bid to further strengthen the arrangements, the Uttar Pradesh government said it will also be deploying two former senior officers on Mela duty -- Ashish Goyal, who served as divisional commissioner of Prayagraj for the 2019 Kumbh, and Bhanu Goswami, former vice chairman of the Agra Development Authority.

Additionally, five special secretary-level officers are being assigned to oversee operations. All of them will remain in Prayagraj till February 12 to assist in streamlining the arrangements, Adityanath said.

On Wednesday, more than 7.64 crore devotees had a 'snan' at the Maha Kumbh, the highest in a single day so far.

The Maha Kumbh, considered among the holiest Hindu pilgrims and held once in 12 years, kicked off on January 13 and will continue till February 26. PTI KIS RAJ ZMN