Completed Research
IPSA-Kumbh: Mapping the Impact of Floating Population on Sewerage Infrastructure and Water Quality during Maha Kumbh 2025
This is an exciting project funded by the National Mission for Clean Ganga and the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India. Our Centre collaborates with Hokkaido University, Japan, the Indian Institute of Technology - Banaras Hindu University and the Indian Institute of Technology – Roorkee to map the impacts of the large number of floating population who visit Prayagraj during the Kumbh Mela. The Kumbh Mela of 2025 is a Maha Kumbh that is a Kumbh Mela that comes after every 12 years. The Government of India estimates that almost 400 million pilgrims will grace Prayagraj between January 13 to February 26, 2025.
This collaborative study focuses on identifying the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) challenges faced by the city of Prayagraj due to the large number of pilgrims who visit it for the Kumbh Mela. The study will extend to also understand challenges which are associated with waste management and public health as both dimensions are intricately interconnected with WaSH. The study would ultimately cumulate to provide a set of recommendations to our funders for improving their decision-making capacities for future Kumbh Melas.
Our Centre has taken a unique approach to identifying the challenges. The Government of India has taken great measures to ensure hygiene and sanitation during previous Kumbh and Maha Kumbh Mela. However, reports have documented widespread ODF, a lack of clean sanitation facilities and an increase of foul smells in the Kumbh Mela area. Moreover, the surge in the population of the city can potentially cause water stress resulting in livelihood stress in the local communities. Our research will be collecting primary data from Kumbh Mela 2025 and mapping the influence of perception, attitude, knowledge, and behaviour of various stakeholders in managing WaSH in the world's largest religious gathering.
IPSA-Kumbh: Mapping the Impact of Floating Population on Sewerage Infrastructure and Water Quality during Maha Kumbh 2025
This is an exciting project funded by the National Mission for Clean Ganga and the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India. Our Centre collaborates with Hokkaido University, Japan, the Indian Institute of Technology - Banaras Hindu University and the Indian Institute of Technology – Roorkee to map the impacts of the large number of floating population who visit Prayagraj during the Kumbh Mela. The Kumbh Mela of 2025 is a Maha Kumbh that is a Kumbh Mela that comes after every 12 years. The Government of India estimates that almost 400 million pilgrims will grace Prayagraj between January 13 to February 26, 2025.
This collaborative study focuses on identifying the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) challenges faced by the city of Prayagraj due to the large number of pilgrims who visit it for the Kumbh Mela. The study will extend to also understand challenges which are associated with waste management and public health as both dimensions are intricately interconnected with WaSH. The study would ultimately cumulate to provide a set of recommendations to our funders for improving their decision-making capacities for future Kumbh Melas.
Our Centre has taken a unique approach to identifying the challenges. The Government of India has taken great measures to ensure hygiene and sanitation during previous Kumbh and Maha Kumbh Mela. However, reports have documented widespread ODF, a lack of clean sanitation facilities and an increase of foul smells in the Kumbh Mela area. Moreover, the surge in the population of the city can potentially cause water stress resulting in livelihood stress in the local communities. Our research will be collecting primary data from Kumbh Mela 2025 and mapping the influence of perception, attitude, knowledge, and behaviour of various stakeholders in managing WaSH in the world's largest religious gathering.