Prayagraj Maha Kumbh -2025: Be ready to spend more for boating, check how much hike in fare has occurred?

To boost the earnings of boatmen during the Prayagraj Maha Kumbh -2025 Mela, the fair administration has approved a 50 percent increase in boat fares. Additional District Magistrate Vivek Chaturvedi announced that starting January 13, 2025, the fares for boats operating at Sangam will rise by 50 percent. The boatmen had been advocating for a fare increase for some time, and this decision follows deliberations between the Prayagraj District Boatmen Association and the fair administration.

Pappu Lal Nishad, President of Prayagraj District Boatmen Association, welcomed this decision of the administration and said that despite the increase in inflation, there was no increase in the fare of boats for many years. In view of this, this decision of the administration is in the interest of the boatmen.

Do not charge more fare than the fixed fare from the devotees

The Additional Fair Officer has said that after increasing the fare of the boats, it will also be ensured that no devotee is charged more than the fixed fare. For this, a new list of boat fares is being prepared. This list will be pasted at all the ghats and parking places. Boats can also be operated on major bathing festivals. Motor boats will be banned on major bathing festivals, and Deputy District Magistrate Abhinav Pathak has said that the decision on boat operation will be taken after considering the weather and crowd situation during the bathing festival.

At present, 1455 boats are being operated at Sangam in Prayagraj. During the Maha Kumbh, after the arrival of boats from the surrounding districts, their number can cross 4,000. After checking the boats of all these sailors, they will be issued licenses. They will be provided life jackets. All the sailors will also get the benefit of an insurance cover of Rs 2 lakh.