Prayagraj: The saffron pontoon bridge being readied for the annual religious event—Magh Mela — has become the talk of the town. The Mahavir Pontoon Bridge, located directly opposite the Bade Hanuman Temple, has become a topic of discussion after its videos went viral on social media.After the grandeur of Maha Kumbh, the city is now gearing up to host Magh Mela, set to commence from Jan 3, 2026. The authorities aim to give the annual event an equally impressive and divine appearance. On Nov 22, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath arrived in Prayagraj to review the preparations of the mela. However, even before the CM’s visit, one development has caught public attention—the pontoon bridge painted in saffron for the first time in the history of Magh Mela. According to executive engineer of Construction Division-IV (PWD) Surendra Singh, assigned to the Kumbh Mela works, the order to paint the Mahavir Pontoon bridge saffron came directly from the Chief Minister’s Office. Singh explained that since the bridge is associated symbolically with Lord Hanuman—also known as Bajrangbali—who is traditionally adorned with sindoor, the saffron colour was chosen to reflect this devotional significance.Singh added that the bridge is scheduled for completion in a couple of days. He clarified that the directive for saffrong colour were for only this specific pontoon bridge. The remaining six pontoon bridges planned for the Magh Mela will continue to be painted in the traditional black colour, as no instruction has been issued to alter their appearance.