Science unified Ganga’s three separate streams, restored river’s course – The Occasions of India

NEW DELHI: Maha Kumbh 2025 will likely be remembered for a lot of issues, however one engineering marvel stands out — the unification of the Ganga’s three separate streams right into a single, cohesive circulation. Via a 2.5-kilometre dredging challenge, the river’s course was restored, reclaiming land equal to 1,000 tennis courts. This primary-of-its-kind intervention expanded the Mela premises by 22 hectares, making certain higher organisation and accessibility for tens of millions of devotees.
The Ganga had beforehand shifted its course, splitting into three streams that affected its purity and created logistical challenges for the Kumbh Mela. Officers famous that the uneven riverbed led to the formation of sand islands, making the duty significantly advanced. “We relied on superior know-how and our experience in water physique administration to beat what initially appeared like an insurmountable problem,” an irrigation division official stated.
Anil Garg, principal secretary, irrigation and water assets division, highlighted the size of the achievement: “This feat of reclaiming land equal to 1,000 tennis courts and increasing the Sangam nostril to accommodate two lakh pilgrims at a time is unparalleled,” he stated.
This success was pushed by a mix of know-how, engineering, and human willpower. “The challenge needed to be accomplished inside a two-month window from mid-Oct to Dec 31. We deployed three high-capacity dredging machines — two with a capability of 250 cubic metres and one with 350 cubic metres — to take away over six lakh cubic metres of sand,” defined Gaurav Chopra, managing director of Cleantec Infra.
Chopra additionally highlighted the distinctive challenges posed by robust river currents and fluctuating water ranges. “To keep up stability, dredgers have been anchored to pontoon bridges, permitting steady 24/7 operations in shifts. Regardless of setbacks like damaged pins and shifting equipment, the crew stayed targeted,” he stated. With steerage from chief minister Yogi Adityanath and strategic enter from IIT-Guwahati, an extra dredger was deployed to speed up the work.
The unified circulation of the Ganga was efficiently achieved simply in time for Maha Kumbh 2025, making a extra structured and expansive Sangam space for devotees. This not solely enhanced the religious expertise but in addition ensured smoother logistics for the occasion’s giant crowds.
Along with merging the streams, the challenge concerned levelling and making ready the bottom with 5 lakh metric tonnes of sand, making the Mela space extra accessible. Officers and consultants consider this challenge might function a replicable mannequin for managing different water our bodies throughout the nation.