The Uttar Pradesh administration on Thursday declared the Maha Kumbh pilgrimage site in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj a no-vehicle zone and revoked all very very important person, or VVIP passes, a day after a stampede killed at least 30 people and injured 60 others near the Sangam Ghat, The Indian Express reported.

“It has been communicated that VVIP passes have been revoked, meaning special passes will no longer allow vehicle entry,” the newspaper quoted an unidentified officer on security duty as saying.

The stampede broke out between 1 am and 2 am on Wednesday as a large number of pilgrims arrived to take a holy bath on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, a spiritually significant day in the Hindu calendar.

Authorities have now made the roads leading to the pilgrimage site one-way to facilitate the smoother movement of devotees.

Directives have also been issued to completely ban cars from entering the city of Prayagraj until February 4. Additionally, vehicles from adjoining districts will be stopped at the district borders.

A large number of police personnel have been stationed at the Sangam Ghat – where the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers converge – to manage the flow of devotees and ensure that they vacate the area promptly after taking a dip.

Street vendors have been directed to move to empty areas to ensure no disruption to traffic, India Today reported.

In the wake of the new directives, many pilgrims who arrived in vehicles were stopped at the district border, and devotees were only allowed to enter in small groups to avoid overcrowding. This resulted in large crowds gathering at the entry points to the city, before being allowed in controlled batches, The Indian Express reported.

Chief Minister Adityanath has directed officials to ensure that devotees are not stopped unnecessarily, while highlighting the need for constant vigilance and the use of barricading to ensure proper flow of human traffic.