Prayagraj : Visitors coming to Sangam city for Maha Kumbh and crossing either the Shastri Bridge (connecting the main city to Jhunsi) or the Phaphamau Bridge (connecting Phaphamau side of river Ganga) will be welcomed by vertical gardens that will be developed on both sides of these two major bridges. Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) will be spending Rs 4.93 crore for this ambitious project.
Devotees from many districts, including Varanasi, Gorakhpur, and Azamgarh, will be using Shastri Bridge while those coming from Lucknow, Sultanpur, and Pratapgarh will cross over Phaphamau Bridge. In view of this importance, the work of repair and beautification of both the bridges has already started. Motifs narrating the importance of Maha Kumbh will also be installed on the poles of these two bridges.
During Maha Kumbh, the main routes of the city will also be decorated with pots of flowers and plants with evergreen leaves. For this, authorities are procuring around 28,000 pots, which will be placed on the sides of major roads leading to the mela area. Of these, 1,000 pots will be of large size.
However, these large-sized pots will be of plastic instead of cement, as many cement pots ordered in the 2019 Kumbh got damaged after the mela. The smaller clay pots will also be placed around a big pot at major intersections and dividers. This responsibility has been given to the horticulture department.
The department will also beautify the parks located in Khusro Bagh, Circuit House, Hi.