Hyderabad, Dec 6 (Reporter) Expecting 450 million pilgrims, saints, ascetics and tourists in the Mahakumbha at Prayagraj from January 13 to February 26 next year, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Friday said the event was a unique celebration of unity within India's diversity and extended an invitation to the people of Telangana to participate in the festival. Maurya emphasized that the state government was taking significant steps to ensure the event is historic, featuring international participation and state-of-the-art facilities. Speaking to the media after the Mahakumbha roadshow here, the Dy CM stated that the Mahakumbh embodies the spirit of India's cultural and spiritual consciousness and is a divine and vibrant representation of 'Ek Bharat- Shreshth Bharat-Samaveshi Bharat (One India, Great India, Inclusive India).' This year’s Mahakumbh will surpass the previous one in both grandeur and divine essence, he said, adding the over 450 million pilgrims, saints, ascetics, and tourists were expected. In preparation, the Uttar Pradesh government has made meticulous and timely arrangements, said Maurya. Recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the Mahakumbh is being held after a gap of 12 years, the Dy CM informed. He highlighted that special emphasis has been placed on making Mahakumbh Mela 2025 both clean and green. Around three lakh plants have been cultivated across Prayagraj, with the Uttar Pradesh government pledging to ensure their care and maintenance even after the conclusion of the Mela. The Deputy Chief Minister informed that the preparations for the Mahakumbh Mela are being made with a focus on health and hygiene. This includes making healthcare arrangements for pilgrims, sadhus, saints, those observing Kalpwas at Mahakumbh and tourists. Besides deploying a large number of specialist doctors, a 100-bed hospital has been set up at the Parade Ground. Two more hospitals with 20 beds each and smaller hospitals with 8 beds have also been prepared. Two 10-bed ICUs have been set up by the Army Hospital at the Mela area and Arail, with doctors on duty 24 hours a day. It will be a digital Maha Kumbh, for which a dedicated website and app would be launched, besides an AI-powered chatbot in 11 languages, QR-based passes for people and vehicles, a multilingual digital lost-and-found centre, ICT monitoring for cleanliness and tents, software for land and facility allocation and a multilingual digital signage (VMD) There will also be an automated ration supply system, drone-based surveillance and disaster management, live software for monitoring 530 projects, an inventory tracking system, and integration of all locations on Google Maps. He informed that arrangements have been made to ensure tourists do not face parking issues. Besides the 35 existing permanent ghats, nine new ones have been constructed in the Mahakumbh city to facilitate bathing for devotees. Aerial flower showers will be carried out across all 44 ghats spread over a 12-kilometre area. He further mentioned that a riverfront, modeled after Mumbai’s Marine Drive, has been developed along a 15.25-kilometre stretch on the banks of the Ganges...////...