On January 18, 2026, over 1.3 crore devotees took a holy dip in the Ganga river and at the Sangam by 8 a.m. It was the main bathing festival, Mauni Amavasya, during the ongoing Magh Mela. A senior mela official said devotees started arriving from midnight, facing dense fog, and kept coming early morning from all directions. Earlier, 1.03 crore people bathed on Makar Sankranti and nearly 85 lakh on Ekadashi. Divisional Commissioner Saumya Agrawal said, "Reflective tapes have been installed on poles across the mela area to help pilgrims navigate correctly," and civil defence volunteers are guiding visitors. The Magh Mela spans 800 hectares and is split into seven sectors. More than 25,000 toilets are installed, with over 3,500 sanitation workers maintaining cleanliness. A tent city offers short-term Kalpvas stay with meditation and yoga facilities. To ease movement, bike taxis and golf carts are available. Superintendent of Police Neeraj Pandey said over 10,000 police personnel are deployed to secure the area and manage crowds. For traffic, 42 temporary parking zones hold over one lakh vehicles. He added, "A total of 12,100 feet-long bathing ghats have been constructed for Magh Mela 2025-26," all with basic facilities.