Mahakumbh 2025: UP government launches mobile lab for food quality testing

Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, one of the world’s largest religious events, has started in Prayagraj following a significant astronomical alignment that occurred after 144 years. Known for its immense spiritual significance, the event attracts millions of pilgrims from all over the world to this holy place. With such a massive influx of devotees, ensuring public health and safety, especially the quality of food, becomes a priority for the government.

To meet these demands, the Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday announced the deployment of mobile laboratories to conduct food inspection in eateries in the Maha Kumbh Mela area here, with the aim of monitoring hygiene and safety standards.

Assistant Food Commissioner (Grade 2) Sushil Kumar Singh stressed on the use of ‘Food Safety on Wheels’ to prevent distribution of spoiled or adulterated food to pilgrims.

Singh said, “These mobile laboratories conduct on-the-spot testing of food and beverages. Regular quality checks are carried out at hotels, dhabas and small stalls, food safety complaints are immediately resolved to ensure prompt action. Can go.”

The Uttar Pradesh government said in a statement that under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, efforts are being made to ensure clean and quality food for lakhs of devotees coming to the Maha Kumbh.

“The fair is divided into five zones and 25 sectors, with food safety officers in each sector regularly monitoring hygiene and safety standards,” the government said.

“All food safety operations are coordinated from the central office located at Sankat Mochan Marg in Sector 24. This office oversees food surveillance efforts and oversees the deployment of teams throughout the fair,” it said.

The government said that while food safety officers are deployed in every zone, chief officers monitor operations in each of the five zones. It said that a maximum of 14 sectors are actively monitored in Jhunsi area.

On January 13, about 1.75 crore devotees gathered at Triveni Sangam on the first day of Mahakumbh. On the second day of Makar Sankranti, the number of devotees doubled to 3.5 crore. The Uttar Pradesh government estimates that 40 to 45 crore pilgrims and visitors will arrive in the next six weeks till February 26 for the largest spiritual gathering on the planet.