"Prayagraj introduces water sports as part of its Smart City upgrades in preparation for the upcoming Magh Mela."

The Prayagraj administration recently inaugurated a range of water sports and water rides in the city under the Smart City project, aimed at enhancing tourism and recreational facilities.

Divisional Commissioner Saumya Agarwal, who inaugurated the facilities, said the initiative had also been implemented during the previous Mahakumbh and would continue in the coming years. Newly introduced attractions include floating restaurants, banana boat rides and motorboat services for tourists.

Speaking to ANI, Agarwal said the water sports activities were launched to offer enhanced recreational options to visitors to Prayagraj. “This is a Smart City project; it was also implemented during the last Mahakumbh, and it will continue,” she said.

According to Prayagraj Smart City Limited, the Smart Cities Mission is an urban renewal and retrofitting programme launched by the Government of India to develop 100 citizen-friendly and sustainable cities. Under the mission, the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) is responsible for implementing projects under the Area-Based Development (ABD) and Pan-City components, with a focus on leveraging technology to improve urban infrastructure and quality of life.

The inauguration comes amid a surge in pilgrim arrivals for the Magh Mela 2026 at the Triveni Sangam. Agarwal said the first auspicious bathing ritual of Paush Purnima was conducted smoothly, with around 31 lakh devotees taking a holy dip at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers.

“All arrangements were in place, and the bathing ritual was completed successfully without any issues,” she said, adding that the fair has officially begun and crowd management measures are functioning smoothly.

The Magh Mela, held annually at the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj, is one of the largest religious gatherings in the country. The event assumes the scale of the Kumbh Mela every fourth year and the Maha Kumbh Mela every twelfth year, attracting millions of pilgrims from across India and abroad.