Earlier, the Varanasi district administration had ordered the closure of schools in urban areas amid a rise in the number of pilgrims thronging the city.

A group of 68 Hindu pilgrims from Pakistan's Sindh province visited Prayagraj for sacred rituals at the Mahakumbh, immersing ancestral ashes and seeking spiritual peace.

With the number of pilgrims at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj witnessing a sudden spike on Thursday again, the district administration and police once again implemented various traffic measures, including placing barricades at key locations around the city and restricting vehicle entry within the city limits.

The Prayagraj District Magistrate has declared a local holiday on Monday for government offices due to massive crowds for the Basant Panchami bathing event. A three-tier security system is in place, and the Uttar Pradesh government's arrangements have earned praise despite recent stampede-like incidents causing casualties.

The devotees will get to spend 24 hours at the Maha Kumbh, after which they will have to take the return train from Prayagraj.