Ahead of Ardh Kumbh 2019, Allahabad to be renamed Prayagraj soon

Ahead of Kumbh Mela (fair) next year, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced that Allahabad will soon be renamed Prayagraj after Governor Ram Naik’s nod to an Akhada Parishad proposal to change the name of the metropolitan city.

"In the meeting called to review the preparedness of Kumbh, a proposal was given by Akhada Parishad and others regarding changing the name of Allahabad district. UP Governor Ram Naik has also given his consent to the proposal," Adityanath said while addressing the media at Circuit House in Allahabad on Saturday.

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“We also supported the proposal and very soon the name of Allahabad district will be changed to Prayagraj,” he said. According to reports, the state cabinet would give it a go ahead to rename the city - also the district headquarters - during its next meeting.

Meanwhile, speaking about the preparations of the mega Kumbh Mela, the UP CM said that the fair will have a global outreach and all the pending work will be completed by the end of 2018.

“This Kumbh Mela will have a global outreach in which delegates of all countries that have embassies in India will participate. People from more than 6,00,000 villages across the country will contribute during the Kumbh Mela. We are being given full assistance from the central government," he said.

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Water ATMs, tankers, hand pumps, banks, ATM machines and mobile towers will be installed for the visitors, the chief minister said. He also assured that the river will also be cleaned by the end of December 2018.