Maha Kumbh 2025 in Prayagraj, one of the world’s largest spiritual gatherings, set a record of sorts by collecting 600 tons of floating waste, showcasing an unprecedented model of faith, technology, and sustainability.
With an estimated 55 crore devotees visiting the Sangam, the Uttar Pradesh government undertook major infrastructural and ecological interventions to enhance the pilgrimage experience.
A key initiative was the unification of the Ganga’s three separate streams into a single flow through a 2.5-kilometre-long dredging project. Using 83 high-capacity dredgers operating 24/7 for 20 days, this first-of-its-kind effort reclaimed 22 hectares of land, expanding the Mela premises and improving accessibility.
Over six lakh cubic meters of sand and sediment were removed, enhancing water flow and optimizing land use.
Anil Garg, Principal Secretary, Irrigation and Water Resources Department, called it an unparalleled achievement. He had said that reclaiming land equivalent to 1,000 tennis courts and expanding the Sangam area to accommodate two lakh pilgrims at a time is a historic feat.
Gaurav Chopra, Managing Director and Co-founder of Cleantec Infra, emphasised the scale of the effort. “Completing this project within just two months was a challenge, but we are proud to have supported the UP Government in achieving it,” he said. The project deployed three high-capacity dredging machines, working relentlessly to remove vast amounts of sediment.”