Over 75 lakh devotees visited Varanasi from January 26 to 28. To accommodate the massive influx, the Kashi Vishwanath Temple extended darshan hours until 1 am, while educational campuses and marriage lawns have been converted into temporary parking zones.
For the third consecutive day, over 25 lakh pilgrims, mostly arriving from Maha Kumbh, crowded the city on Tuesday. Police Commissioner Mohit Agrawal and Divisional Commissioner Kaushal Raj Sharma reported increasing congestion near Kashi Vishwanath Dham, especially at night, as devotees queued along barricaded routes. The decision to keep the sanctum sanctorum open late eased the pressure, reducing crowds by Tuesday morning compared to previous days.
Officials emphasised flexibility in temple timings, with doors closing after the ‘shayan aarti’ once crowd levels subside. Barricades for queues were expanded at Maidagin and Godowlia, while round-the-clock sanitation and mobile toilets were arranged to support pilgrims waiting for extended periods.
Despite establishing parking zones, the city continues to face challenges managing the high vehicle inflow. Fields of educational institutions like Kamalkar Chaube Adarsh Seva Vidyalaya and CM Anglo Bengali Inter College were acquired for parking, and more sites on the outskirts are being explored to accommodate the surge. With proactive crowd management and extended temple hours, Varanasi strives to provide a smoother pilgrimage experience during this auspicious period.
