Below is a consolidated document that outlines one “back‐of‐the‐envelope” estimate for the infrastructure and area requirements to host a massive event like the Kumbh Mela—with 2 crore (20,000,000) daily visitors (60% of whom, or about 12 million, stay overnight) plus additional facilities such as parking, emergency services, local commerce, ashrams for sadhus, and an exclusive VVIP area. This document is meant to illustrate one way of planning at a conceptual level. Actual designs would require detailed site surveys, crowd dynamics studies, and coordination with local regulations.
Table of Contents
1. Visitor Breakdown
- Total Daily Visitors: 20,000,000
- Overnight (Camping/Temporary Stay) Visitors (60%): 12,000,000
- Day Visitors: 8,000,000
The planning assumptions for an event of this magnitude start with distinguishing between those who stay overnight and those who attend only during the day, since overnight guests require dedicated sleeping/camping space while day visitors require congregation and circulation space.
2. Base Area Requirements
A. Overnight Accommodation
- Assumption: Approximately 5 m² per person is allocated for a basic “camping” or sleeping arrangement.
- Calculation:
12,000,000 persons × 5 m²/person = 60,000,000 m²
This equals 60 km² of space.
B. Day-Use and Congregation Areas
- Assumption: Approximately 3 m² per day visitor (with extra space for circulation and public assembly).
- Calculation:
8,000,000 persons × 3 m²/person ≈ 24 km²
Additionally, areas for movement and open assembly might push this number slightly higher (roughly 20–30 km² total).
C. Other Basic Infrastructure
- Includes: Roads, staging areas, emergency zones, and service yards.
- Assumption: An extra allocation on the order of 16–40 km².
Thus, the base infrastructure for the event is estimated in the range of 100–150 km².
For example:
- 60 km² for overnight accommodation
- 24 km² for day-use congregation areas
- ~16 km² (or more) for infrastructure and circulation
3. Additional Facilities
In planning for an event of this scale, many supporting facilities must be accounted for beyond the basic accommodation and circulation areas. The following are additional allocations based on plausible assumptions:
A. Parking Areas
Even with a reliance on public transport or organized transit, parking for service and emergency vehicles—and some private vehicles—is essential.
- Assumed Allocation: ~5 km²
B. Emergency Services
This includes fire stations, police stations, and other emergency response hubs. Although individually small, their dispersed locations across the site require dedicated space.
- Assumed Allocation: ~1 km²
C. Local Shops and Commercial Zones
Food courts, vendor markets, and temporary commercial zones add to the visitor experience and are an essential part of the infrastructure.
- Assumed Allocation: ~5 km²
D. Ashrams / Religious Complexes for Sadhus
Given the religious context of the Kumbh Mela, permanent or semi-permanent ashrams and gathering areas for sadhus may be incorporated into the plan.
- Assumed Allocation: ~10 km²
E. VVIP Area
A specially designed, luxurious VVIP area for up to 10,000 persons per day is considered. These spaces are designed to be more spacious and exclusive.
- Assumption: Allocate roughly 200 m² per VVIP
- Calculation:
10,000 persons × 200 m²/person = 2,000,000 m² = 2 km²
4. Combined Total Area Estimate
Base Festival Area (Accommodation, Day Areas, Infrastructure):
Approximately 100–150 km²
Additional Facilities Total:
- Parking: 5 km²
- Emergency Services: 1 km²
- Local Shops/Commercial Zones: 5 km²
- Ashrams/Religious Complexes: 10 km²
- VVIP Area: 2 km²
Total Additional Area: 5 + 1 + 5 + 10 + 2 = 23 km²
Final Total Area Estimate:
- Lower Bound: 100 km² + 23 km² = 123 km²
- Upper Bound: 150 km² + 23 km² = 173 km²
A reasonable rounded estimate would thus be on the order of 125–175 km².
5. Water, Sanitation, and Other Essential Services
A. Water Supply
Water is needed for drinking, cooking, washing, ritual bathing, and sanitation.
- Assumed Per-Person Requirement: Approximately 50 liters per day.
- Calculation for 20,000,000 persons:
20,000,000 × 50 L = 1,000,000,000 liters per day
Converting to cubic meters (1 m³ = 1,000 L) gives about 1,000,000 m³ per day. - Note: For events with significant ritual water use, the requirement could be higher (up to 2,000,000 m³/day).
B. Sanitation – Toilets and Latrines
Sanitation guidelines for large events often suggest a ratio of 1 toilet per 25–50 persons.
- Using 1 Toilet per 50 Persons:
20,000,000 ÷ 50 = 400,000 toilets - Using 1 Toilet per 25 Persons:
20,000,000 ÷ 25 = 800,000 toilets
Planners might opt for the lower end of the range if communal or well-managed portable facilities are used.
C. Additional Essential Services
- Medical Services: Roughly one primary health center per 100,000–200,000 visitors (roughly 100–200 centers overall) plus larger hospitals at strategic nodes.
- Waste Management: Designated zones for solid waste collection and treatment, potentially adding several km².
- Electrical and Communication Infrastructure: Distributed substations, generators, and communication nodes.
- Transportation and Circulation: Temporary roads, footpaths, and possibly dedicated transit links (bus, rail, or water transport) are essential for crowd movement.
- Security and Emergency Coordination: Numerous dispersed command posts, emergency service hubs, and crowd management centers.
These additional services, though not always contributing large “footprints” individually, collectively add to the complexity and area of the site.
6. Final Summary
To host an event with 2 crore daily visitors (with 60% staying overnight), a conceptual infrastructure plan might look as follows:
- Total Area Required: Approximately 125–175 square kilometers
(This includes basic sleeping/camping areas, day-use and congregation spaces, essential infrastructure, plus dedicated facilities such as parking, emergency services, commercial zones, ashrams, and a VVIP area.) - Water Requirements: Roughly 1,000,000 cubic meters per day (with the possibility of higher demand depending on ritual activities)
- Sanitation: Provision of approximately 400,000 to 800,000 toilets to meet public health and convenience standards.
- Other Facilities:
• Medical Centers: Approximately 100–200 centers
• Additional zones for waste management, electrical and communication infrastructure, and dedicated transportation corridors are essential parts of the overall plan.
7. Conclusion
While these estimates are inherently approximate and depend on numerous assumptions—including space allocations per person, facility design standards, and local planning guidelines—they provide a conceptual framework for understanding the magnitude of infrastructure and space required for an event like the Kumbh Mela. Detailed planning would require site-specific studies and collaboration with engineers, architects, urban planners, and local authorities to ensure safety, accessibility, and comfort for millions of visitors.
This document serves as a starting point for discussions on large-scale event planning, highlighting the complexity and the broad range of facilities that must be integrated into a cohesive master plan.
