Police draw Kumbh plan from crowd during Shravan

NASHIK : With less than a year left for Kumbh Mela, the Nashik rural police used the third Shravani Somvaar on August 11 as an exercise to regulate the rush of devotees in Trimbakeshwar, the holy town located about 30 kms from Nashik.
Nashik rural police said the exercise was important considering that nearly 30 lakh people are expected in Trimbakeshwar in 2015 for the Kumbh.
Inspector Shailesh Jadhav of the Nashik rural police said, "Regulating the flow of pilgrims and the Sadhus is important given the fact that lakhs of pilgrims would be taking the holy dip in the Kushawart, a pond admeasuring 20 m by 30 m."
The rush of pilgrims would be much more during the Kumbh. However, the third Shravani Somvaar, which also witnesses lakhs of pilgrims in Trimbakeshwar, was a good opportunity to observe the movement of the pilgrims, how they react to a particular situation and the parking arrangements required, Jadhav added.
The rural police officials and personnel were instructed to conduct bandobast and regulate the vehicular traffic and the flow of devotees in the same way as though it were the Kumbh.
The parking arrangement was similar to Kumbh, when private vehicles coming from Nashik city were stopped at Khambale, those coming from Girnare were stopped at Tupadevi, those from Jawahar were stopped at Amboi parking and those coming from Igatpuri and Ghoti were stopped at Pahine.
The bomb detection and disposal squad also conducted checks to thwart anti-national activity and four to five vacant pockets were reserved along the circumambulation route to be used only as escape routes in the event of a stampede-like situation. Similar holding areas have been identified for Kumbh.
"The aim was to observe things closely so that the police are better prepared for the bigger event of Kumbh," Jadhav said.
Around 3,000 police personnel were deployed at Trimbakeshwar during the last Kumbh, 12 years ago. This year, they were contemplating to double the force.