Around 45 lakhs pilgrims throng Gangasagar since 1 January
The Statesman | 13 January 2026
Around 45 lakh pilgrims have arrived at Gangasagar in South 24-Parganas since 1 January to take the holy dip at the confluence of the Ganga and the Bay of Bengal and offer prayers at the Kapil Muni Ashram, state minister for power and housing Aroop Biswas said on Monday.
Addressing a Press conference at Sagar Island, the minister indicated that the pilgrim turnout is expected to rise further in the coming days, particularly around Makar Sankranti. He also informed that two pilgrims, one each from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, were airlifted to Kolkata after they complained of severe illness. To ensure the safety and smooth movement of devotees, an elaborate security and crowd-management plan has been rolled out.
More than 15,000 police personnel have been deployed across the fair area. According to the administration, security arrangements include 54 watchtowers, seven advance teams, 15 anti-crime patrolling teams, 14 foot patrolling teams, 13 missing person squads, two sniffer dogs, 16 river patrolling teams and 28 coordination teams working round the clock to maintain law and order.
For effective crowd regulation at the bathing ghats, 698 drop gates have been installed. In addition, 54 km of barricades, 42 police assistance centres, special directional signage and colour-coded lighting systems have been set up to guide pilgrims safely through the mela grounds. Officials said that of the 84 pilgrims reported missing so far, 80 have already been reunited with their families with the help of the administration and volunteers. One of the major attractions of this year’s Gangasagar Mela is the specially curated “Banglar Mandir” theme.
Pilgrims are being offered a glimpse of replicas and representations of some of Bengal’s most iconic religious sites, including Digha’s Jagannath Temple, Kalighat, Dakshineswar, Tarapith, Mahakal Temple, Cooch Behar’s Madan Mohan Temple and Belur Math, along with a miniature replica of Durga Angan. Transport arrangements have been significantly scaled up to handle the massive influx. As many as 21 jetties are being used for ferrying pilgrims. The administration has pressed into service around 3,600 buses from Babughat to Lot No. 8 and 300 buses from Kachuberia to Sagar, besides 13 barges, 45 vessels and 120 launches.
However, the diversion of thousands of buses for mela duty has raised concerns over reduced public transport services in Kolkata and adjoining areas from Monday. Transport department sources said that commuters in South and North 24-Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly and Kolkata may face inconvenience, especially during peak office hours. To mitigate the impact, the state transport department has initiated emergency measures, including deploying idle buses after basic repairs and planning additional services on key routes. Private bus operators have also been urged to bring non-operational vehicles back on the roads. Meanwhile, Eastern Railway has put in place special arrangements for Gangasagar-bound pilgrims via Kakdwip and Namkhana stations. Additional infrastructure and special train services will remain operational till 16 January, 2026, covering the peak rush period of the annual pilgrimage, which transforms the otherwise tranquil Sagar Island into a vibrant confluence of cultures, faiths and regions from across the country.