The Uttar Pradesh government has launched a daily Ganga Aarti on a floating jetty at the Sangam, adding a new feature to the city’s religious landscape. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the initiative on Tuesday on the occasion of Ganga Dussehra, performing Ganga Pujan and Aarti at the site.CM Yogi Adityanath performing Ganga Aarti at Sangam on Tuesday. (Anil Kumar Maurya/HT)Officials said this is the first time such a ceremony is being held on a floating jetty in the Sangam area. Mela Adhikari and Prayagraj Development Authority vice-chairman Rishiraj said the move will offer devotees and tourists a unique spiritual experience every evening.During his visit, the chief minister also inaugurated the newly constructed House Hall of the Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PMC) and launched the official website of the Prayagraj Mela Authority (PMA). The portal will provide information on religious events, bathing dates, facilities, connectivity and future development plans related to the Sangam area.Addressing the gathering, Adityanath said the state was moving forward with continuous development, comparing it to the uninterrupted flow of the Ganga. He described Prayagraj as a blend of cultural heritage, spiritual significance, and modern infrastructure.The chief minister said that before 2017, events like the Magh Mela and Kumbh Mela were associated with poor management and disorder. He said the 2019 Kumbh, organised under the current government, received global recognition, including UNESCO acknowledgment, and the infrastructure created for it is being preserved as a long-term asset. He added that development carried out during the 2019 Kumbh and 2025 Mahakumbh would become a lasting legacy if maintained properly.Highlighting projects worth around ₹400 crore, Adityanath referred to the redevelopment of the 161-year-old Municipal Corporation building and other civic works. He also mentioned Shivalik Parks, where replicas of the 12 Jyotirlingas have been created using waste materials, calling them examples of sustainable development.He said several heritage sites, including Akshaya Vat and Saraswati Koop, have been opened to the public in recent years, and encroachments at Maharishi Bharadwaj’s ashram have been removed.Adityanath also highlighted improved connectivity, saying the Ganga Expressway has reduced travel time between Prayagraj and Delhi to about seven hours. He announced that a four-lane bridge over the Ganga is under construction at a cost of around ₹1,000 crore, and work on the Phaphamau bridge is nearing completion.The chief minister said more projects are planned and assured full government support for future proposals.He also released a book on the Municipal Corporation’s work over the past three years. Additionally, he inaugurated and laid foundation stones for projects worth ₹400 crore, and distributed kits to sanitation workers, including supervisor Lata Kumari, Poonam, Phoola Devi, Meena Devi and Sanjay Kumar. The kits included caps, gloves, boots, masks and coats.