Over 1.5 million pilgrims have so far visited the month-long Godawari Singhastha Mela held every 12 years.

According to organisers, as many as 500,000 pilgrims turned up in a single day. The organising committee said it had never expected to receive such a huge number of pilgrims due to the devastating April earthquake. With this, visitors are facing a tough time to reach the bathing spout due to the ever increasing traffic jam.

A total of 150 security personnel including traffic police have been deployed in the area, with CCTVs placed in several locations.

Sitaram Hachhetu, chief of Lalitpur Traffic, who is assigned to look after the traffic on the route during the gala said 50 traffic police have been deployed in the area since early morning. Sixteen traffic police—10 in uniform and six with civil dress—in between Satdobato and Godavari to monitor exuberant fares charged by public vehicles.

Last week, traffic police had nabbed drivers of 13 vehicles for overcharging the fair. Since then there has not been any complains.

The venue witnesses over 200 stalls of eateries, handcrafts, vegetables and hundreds of retail shops, while a separate fun-park has been built to entertain the visitors, especially targeting children. The venue has been packed with visitors from 5 am to 7pm.

According to the committee, over 200,000 people had visited the gala on a daily basis until last week.

It is estimated that over 200 million business transactions were witnessed during the ongoing gala. Over 500 volunteers from Nepal Red Cross Society and Nepal Scout, including 25 health workers will be providing free health check-ups for visitors.