Maha Kumbh seen from space

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has captured images to show the massive infrastructure that has been created at the Maha Kumbh Mela. Using sophisticated optical satellites and day and night viewing capable radarsat, the National Remote Sensing Centre in Hyderabad took a series of images showing the buildup of the massive infrastructure at the mela, NDTV has reported.

NDTV's Science Editor Pallava Bagla accessed these images to show the build-up of the temporary tent and the pontoon bridges set up across the river network.

Dr Prakash Chauhan, the Director of NRSC, said they used radarsat as it could image the region through the cloud band that enveloped Prayagraj.

Time series images (September 15, 2023 and December 29, 2024) of EOS-04 (RISAT-1A) 'C' band microwave satellite, with its all-weather capability and fine resolution (FRS-1, 2.25m), provide unique insights into details of the tent city, along with its network of pontoon bridges and supporting infrastructure, set up for the mela. The UP administration is also using these images to mitigate disasters and stampedes.

The Prayagraj Parade Ground can be seen in a time series of photos taken before the mela started on April 6, 2024 then on December 22, 2024, and when a massive crowd starts gathering to use the same is seen on January 10, 2025.

"These advanced technologies represent a paradigm shift in managing large-scale religious gatherings. The Maha Kumbh Mela stands as a shining example of how technology and tradition can come together to create a cleaner, healthier future for all," Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh said.

The creation of the new Shivalay Park is viewed from space. The image from April 6, 2024, shows a clear field and by December 22, 2024, the Shivalay Park comes into existence and the landscape made in the form of the map of India is so beautifully seen and then viewed again on January 10, 2025.