Hundreds of cleaners battled through pollution at India's bathing festival - setting a new world record for the world's biggest river-cleaning drive.

Authorities reported that more than 300 sanitation workers undertook a massive cleaning operation on Friday, February 14, simultaneously purifying the Ganga River at multiple bathing areas as a preparatory trial run.

This feat was organised under the guidelines of the Mela Authority, following the procedures for official recognition.

Representatives from Guinness World Records, environmentalists, and professors from Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT) were present to oversee the campaign.

Footage shows hundreds of locals lined up in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, with their scoop nets ready for the activity.

The Maha Kumbh administration plans to set another world record with a bigger challenge, involving 15,000 sanitation workers conducting the largest synchronised sweeping drive across the fairgrounds.

This attempt aims to surpass the previous record of 10,000 participants set in 2019.

The Maha Kumbh Mela is a major Hindu pilgrimage festival where millions of devotees and tourists gather to take a holy dip in the sacred rivers, believing it cleanses sins and grants salvation.

However, the resulting chaos has led to dozens of deaths and injuries.

In a recent incident on the evening of February 15, thousands of devotees flocking to the festival caused a stampede that killed at least 20 people at a railway station in New Delhi.

Officials said 14 women and four children were killed when crowds tried to board packed carriages heading to the Hindu Maha Kumbh event.

Earlier, on January 29, millions had gathered at the Maha Kumbh Mela for a holy dip when disorder broke out around 1:30 am. Police confirmed that at least 30 devotees were killed, and 60 others were injured.

Authorities had expected at least 450 million devotees to participate in the holy dip during the 45-day event this year, a number that has already been exceeded.