13/03/2025
IIIT Allahabad successfully hosted a two-day national conference on “Exploring Religious Tourism in Uttar Pradesh: Perspectives and Potential” on March 07th-08th 2025, sponsored by ICSSR. Chaired by Dr. Utkarsh Goel and Dr. Shailendra Kumar, the event brought together policymakers, academics, and industry experts to discuss the development of religious tourism, infrastructure, and digital advancements across the state, with a special focus on Mahakumbh preparations.
Chief Guest IG Prem Kumar Gautam highlighted efforts to enhance security, crowd management, and infrastructure for Mahakumbh 2025. He emphasized the importance of smooth pilgrim movement, sanitation, and cyber preparedness to ensure a seamless experience.
Guest of Honor Satya Shankarsan Das, Vice President of ISKCON Prayagraj, shared insights on handling large-scale religious tourism and the role of spiritual organizations in crowd management.
Prof. O.P. Vyas stressed the need to analyze tourist experiences to improve service delivery across Uttar Pradesh. He emphasized data-driven planning for better logistics, security, and infrastructure.
Discussions covered the vast religious tourism potential of Uttar Pradesh, including key sites like Varanasi, Ayodhya, Mathura, and Prayagraj. Experts explored ways to enhance pilgrim experiences, promote sustainable tourism, and integrate technology for better management and accessibility.
More than 30 research papers were presented, offering valuable insights into policy recommendations and strategic planning. The conference served as a vital platform for shaping the future of religious tourism and infrastructure development in Uttar Pradesh.
