India’s prime minister marked the opening of a tunnel in the northeast of disputed Kashmir that will grant all-year accessibility to a town that is isolated by heavy snow each winter.

In a major boost for tourism, prime minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the Z-Morh tunnel at Sonmarg in the Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Millions of Hindu devotees, mystics and holy men and women from all across India flocked to the northern city of Prayagraj on Monday to kickstart the Maha Kumbh festival, which is being touted as the world's largest religious gathering.

Millions of people are gathering in the northern Indian city of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh state to participate in the Mahakumbh Mela, the world's largest gathering of humanity. Devout Hindus from all parts of the world have arrived here (and will continue to do so) over the course of six weeks to take a holy dip at Sangam - the confluence of India's most sacred Ganges river with the Yamuna river and the mythical Saraswati.