Preparing well in advance for the 2031 Ardh Kumbh, authorities in Prayagraj have cleared a series of bridge projects aimed at improving movement across the city’s river network. The decision comes after the 2025 Maha Kumbh witnessed more than 66 crore devotees gathering at the Triveni Sangam, where maintaining continuous inflow and outflow of pilgrims emerged as the biggest crowd-management challenge.
To address this, the state government has approved the construction of multiple crossings over the Ganga River and the Yamuna River with a combined outlay of ₹562 crore. A 2,500-metre bridge will be built parallel to the ageing Shastri Bridge, which has been shut twice in the past year for repairs, providing an alternative route connecting Purvanchal with the city. Another 1,100 metre bridge is planned alongside the Old Naini Bridge, linking Madoka to Karailbag and strengthening connectivity towards Madhya Pradesh and Chitrakoot. ₹157.05 crore has been earmarked for this project.
In addition, a four-lane bridge between Salori and Hetapatti over the Ganga has received a budget provision of over ₹300 crore, while a smaller Yamuna crossing, Ram Setu, has been sanctioned with ₹42.42 lakh. Officials say the expanded network of bridges is intended to distribute traffic across multiple access points and ensure uninterrupted movement during the 2031 religious gathering.
