From 1 February, airlines will halve airfares to Prayagraj for Mahakumbh Mela 2025, Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu announced on Thursday. The decision followed three meetings with airline representatives after concerns about exorbitant ticket prices were raised.
The Mahakumbh, which began on 13 January and will conclude on 26 February, has witnessed over 199.4 million visitors so far. Rising demand for flights to Uttar Pradesh’s holy city had led to a surge in ticket prices, with fares between Delhi and Prayagraj soaring 21 times higher than usual.
"The updated fares will come into effect from February 1," the minister said. "We have ensured that airlines do not suffer losses due to this fare cut," he added.
To accommodate the growing demand, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) approved 81 additional flights in January, bringing the total to 132. The aviation regulator had previously directed airlines to rationalise airfares following a meeting on 23 January.
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Despite efforts to manage the influx, the ongoing Mahakumbh has faced challenges, including a stampede at the main bathing ghats earlier this week, which claimed at least 30 lives.
A sprawling temporary city has been set up across 4,000 hectares along the riverbanks, housing over 150,000 tents and an almost equal number of toilets to cater to the vast number of pilgrims.
The aviation ministry's move to slash fares is expected to offer relief to devotees amid the world's largest religious gathering.
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