UP govt to ask Himachal for 500 special buses to facilitate pilgrims for Kumbh Mela

The Uttar Pradesh government will ask the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) to run 500 special buses from various parts of the state to Allahabad during Kumbh Mela from January 15 to March 4 to facilitate pilgrims, a UP minister said Friday.

Upendra Tiwari called upon Himachal Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur to formally invite them to participate in the fair. Tiwari handed over an invitation letter of UP CM Yogi Adityanath to Thakur, an official spokesperson said. Talking to media persons here, Tiwari said the Himachal government would be asked to run special buses so that no pilgrim face difficulty in reaching Allahabad.

People from more than six lakh villages of the country besides more than 5,000 non-resident Indians would participate in the fair, the UP chief minister said, requesting Thakur to send cultural troupes and at least one citizen from every village of the state in the Kumbh Mela. Thakur thanked Adityanath for the invitation and also appreciated the efforts of the UP government for making "best arrangements" for the success of the mela.

(With inputs from agencies.)