India, Feb. 6 -- Prayagraj will be in the news once again next year when the Maha Kumbh mela, held once every 12 years, will take place on the sandy banks of Sangam - the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers - considered holy by the millions who will descend on the city of Prayagraj.

The 365 sq.km city of Uttar Pradesh, with a population of around 1.7 million, will play host to an expected 400 million pilgrims, saints and tourists for 45 days starting with the Paush Purnima bathing festival on January 13, 2025 and concluding with the Mahashivratri bathing ritual on February 26, 2025.

Here's how the city administration is getting ready for what architect Rahul Mehrotra once called "the ephemeral city" that will come up to acc...