New Delhi: With just a day left for the sacred Magh Purnima snan at the Maha Kumbh Mela, Prayagraj has been brought to a standstill by an unprecedented traffic crisis. Kilometre-long jams on major highways, including the Rewa-Prayagraj route, have left thousands of devotees stranded for hours.
According to reports, Prayagraj’s neighbouring districts including Mirzapur, Bhadohi, and Pratapgarh are also witnessing heavy congestion. Netizens claim that in some areas, the jams stretch up to 300 kilometres. Authorities are also halting vehicle movement towards Prayagraj. “It is almost impossible to reach Prayagraj today as the traffic congestion extends for hundreds of kilometres,” an NDTV report quoted a police official as saying.
On the instructions of Hon’ble National President Sri JP Naddaji , @BJP4MP workers & @BJP4UP workers will assist the administration in managing traffic on roads, provide food & medical facilities to Kumbh Yatris. #SewahiSangathan
— B L Santhosh (@blsanthosh) February 10, 2025
Devotees forced to abandon vehicles and walk several kilometres
Pilgrims travelling from Varanasi, Lucknow, Kanpur, Rewa, Jaunpur, and Chitrakoot have been particularly affected. Journeys that usually take a few hours are now stretching to over 12 hours. Many have been forced to abandon their vehicles and walk several kilometres to reach the Mela grounds, media reports mentioned.
Despite police efforts to divert vehicles and control the chaos, the sheer volume of traffic has made the situation unmanageable.
Visuals on social media show, devotees stuck in the massive jams with some walking, while others advising other devotees to either postpone their visit or take alternative route other than via road. “For those planning to visit Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj this week: Be prepared for massive crowds and long delays. Entry gates are closed 300 km ahead, and the city has a minimum 8-hour traffic jam. Only train, flight, and pedestrian access are manageable. Plan wisely for the holy dip,” a devotee wrote on X.
Despite police efforts to divert vehicles and control the chaos, the sheer volume of traffic has made the situation unmanageable. According to reports, almost 8,000 vehicles are entering Prayagraj every hour. “This is a complete administrative failure,” said a stranded devotee. “There is no water, no food, and people have been stuck for over 48 hours in their vehicles. The elderly and children are suffering the most.”
Almost 8,000 vehicles are entering Prayagraj every hour
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav slammed the Uttar Pradesh government for its handling of the situation. Yadav accused chief minister Yogi Adityanath of negligence, saying that lack of planning has led to a shortage of essential supplies.
महाकुंभ के अवसर पर उप्र में वाहनों को टोल मुक्त किया जाना चाहिए, इससे यात्रा की बाधा भी कम होगी और जाम का संकट भी। जब फ़िल्मों को मनोरंजन कर मुक्त किया जा सकता है तो महाकुंभ के महापर्व पर गाड़ियों को कर मुक्त क्यों नहीं? pic.twitter.com/1ceISd8WNK
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) February 9, 2025
“Neither food grains, vegetables, spices, petrol, nor medicines are available. Crores of devotees are suffering, hungry, thirsty, and exhausted, as they remain trapped in Prayagraj and the Maha Kumbh premises,” Yadav said.
Devotees have thronged to Prayagraj ahead of Magh Purnima Snan.
Police officials claim that the situation will improve in the coming days, as efforts are being made to ease traffic flow and better coordinate vehicle movement with neighbouring districts.
Meanwhile, the turnout at the Maha Kumbh continues to break records. Over 46 lakh devotees have taken a dip in the holy Sangam today alone, while the total number of pilgrims since the beginning of the event has reached 44 crore.
