Lucknow: The Maha Kumbh, which happened this year in Prayagraj, turned out to be a money minting event for a lot of people, as a boatman’s family is said to have earned more than ₹30 crore during the 45-day festival. Reportedly, this family had 130 boats, and the income earned per boat per day is around ₹50,000–₹52,000. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath shared these figures while responding to queries raised by the Samajwadi Party on the exploitation of boatmen in a budget session of the state assembly.
While addressing the assembly, CM Yogi noted that the family of this boatman had a net profit of ₹30 crore, with each boat earning approximately ₹23 lakh over the course of the festival. A TV9 Bharatvarsh team went to the Sangam to check these claims after his statement. Although local boatmen confirmed the high earnings, none were prepared to speak on the record. Most claimed that in the course of the event, each of the boatmen took home at least ₹20 lakh.
During the Maha Kumbh, official fares were capped by the administration before boat rides. But most boatmen allegedly ignored these rates, according to reports. However, they were allegedly demanding between ₹2,000 and ₹10,000 from passengers to ferry them to the pilgrimage site for a holy dip at the confluence.
CM Yogi also disclosed that the state government shelled out around ₹7,500 crore on conducting the Maha Kumbh, with most of the money utilised not just for the event but also to bring about sustainable development in Prayagraj. Under the improvements, 14 flyovers, 9 underpasses, and 12 corridors were built, and 200 roads were widened. During the festival, business transactions crossed ₹3 lakh crore, providing a boost to the economy.