The West Bengal government has renewed its appeal to the Centre to grant national fair status to the Gangasagar Mela, with State Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Ajay Poddar affirming on Wednesday, 28 October 2026, that the state remains hopeful of securing the recognition ahead of the next congregation in January. The annual event, held on Sagar Island in South 24 Parganas district, draws lakhs of pilgrims and is one of the largest religious gatherings in India.

Diplomatic Push to the Centre

Minister Poddar noted that several round-table discussions and high-level meetings have already taken place with central authorities on the national fair tag. In a separate bid to boost connectivity, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has formally written to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, requesting an extension of direct rail services to Gangasagar. State government officials indicated that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led administration is determined to secure the designation before the upcoming edition of the fair.

Record Infrastructure Outlay in the Works

Alongside its diplomatic efforts, the state administration is preparing a record financial outlay for organising the Mela. A significant scaling-up of allocations for the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department is planned to address one of the event's most pressing logistical challenges — providing filtered drinking water to millions of visitors. While ₹125 crore was allocated to the PHE sector for last year's edition, officials confirmed the upcoming allocation will surpass that figure.

Fairgrounds Expanded by 60 Per Cent

Expecting record footfall, the state government is undertaking an unprecedented spatial expansion of the coastal grounds at Sagar Island. According to administrative sources, the fairgrounds are being enlarged from 12 lakh square feet to 18 lakh square feet — an increase of nearly 60 per cent — to enable smoother crowd management. Additional bus terminals, helipads, and large-scale passenger dormitories are also being constructed to accommodate overnight visitors.

What the PWD Minister Said

Confirming the scale of the overhaul, Minister Poddar said: 'A radical change is set to take place in the infrastructure sector at the Gangasagar Mela. The outline of this transformation will gradually become visible.' Administrative officials added that the final financial outlay for the PWD will be determined incrementally, based on ground-level assessments in the run-up to the January event.

What to Watch

The Centre's response to the national fair status demand remains the key variable. Gangasagar Mela has long competed for the recognition currently held by events such as the Kumbh Mela, and the Bengal government's persistent advocacy — now paired with a substantial infrastructure push — signals a renewed political will to resolve the matter this year.