Maha Kumbh pilgrims faced delays due to traffic congestion, with social media users referring to it as the ‘world’s largest traffic jam’
Maha Kumbh pilgrims faced delays due to traffic congestion, with social media users referring to it as the 'world's largest traffic jam’
The Maha Kumbh, which began on January 13 and is set to conclude on February 26, has attracted more than 400 million visitors from various parts of the nation.
A vast expanse of vehicles, reportedly extending up to 300 kilometers, turned the roads leading to the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, into makeshift parking areas. On Sunday, countless pilgrims, eager to participate in the world’s largest religious gathering, found themselves immobilized in their cars, hundreds of kilometers away from the event location.
The extraordinary traffic congestion, referred to by internet users as the “world’s largest traffic jam,” is said to have stretched between 200 and 300 kilometers, comprising vehicles of pilgrims traveling to the Maha Kumbh Mela through Madhya Pradesh.
This situation compelled local authorities to halt traffic in various districts on Sunday, resulting in individuals being stranded on the roads for several hours.
Caught in probably the biggest traffic jam (15-20km) in the world at Kumbh
— Bhaskar Sarma🗿 (@bhas) February 9, 2025
Prayagraj is completely gridlocked.
Moved ~5 kms in 5 hours, by this time I should have been in Lucknow.
Atrocious traffic management, had to cancel my flight ticket and book another at double pic.twitter.com/I3JKNihjhs
Numerous videos circulating on social media depict extensive lines of thousands of vehicles, including cars and trucks, on the roadways throughout the districts of Katni, Jabalpur, Maihar, and Rewa in Madhya Pradesh.
Commuters expressed their frustrations on social media regarding the traffic congestion, with one user commenting, “Traffic Jam of 15 KM before Jabalpur …still 400 KM to prayagraj. Please read the traffic situation before coming to Mahakumbh!”.
“Caught in probably the biggest traffic jam (15-20km) in the world at Kumbh…Prayagraj is completely gridlocked,” one user took to X.
Authorities have announced that they are halting vehicles at various locations to mitigate congestion at the Madhya Pradesh-Uttar Pradesh borders.
The Inspector General of Police for the Rewa zone, Saket Prakash Pandey, stated that the increased activity on Sunday resulted in traffic congestion. He indicated that the conditions are expected to improve within a few days.
In the meantime, the Rewa district administration has reported that the influx of pilgrims traveling to Prayagraj remains steady, resulting in persistent vehicular pressure along the Rewa-Prayagraj route.
As the crowds swelled beyond Chakghat, vehicles were intercepted at that location and other sites, according to a statement from the Rewa district office.
An official noted that a significant number of vehicles are queued on both sides of the highway leading to Prayagraj.
Rewa district collector Pratibha Pal indicated that they are collaborating with the Prayagraj administration.
She mentioned that vehicles have been delayed due to the substantial crowds on the highway.
“All the workers are requested to help the devotees going to Maha Kumbh through their areas in every possible way. Make arrangements for their food and accommodation if needed. Take special care that the devotees do not face any inconvenience. Let us play our role in this Maha Yagya,” said a post on X by MP BJP president VD Sharma.
Following the extensive circulation of the video, numerous individuals expressed apprehensions regarding the administration of the world’s largest religious and spiritual gathering under the governance of Yogi Adityanath.
On Monday, Akhilesh Yadav, the leader of the Samajwadi Party, condemned the Uttar Pradesh Government for its handling of traffic concerns, asserting that it has resulted in a scarcity of essential goods and caused significant inconvenience to the devotees attending the Mahakumbh.
प्रयागराज महाकुंभ में फँसे करोड़ों श्रद्धालुओं के लिए तुरंत आपातकालीन व्यवस्था की जाए। हर तरफ़ से जाम में भूखे, प्यासे, बेहाल और थके तीर्थयात्रियों को मानवीय दृष्टि से देखा जाए। आम श्रद्धालु क्या इंसान नहीं है?
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) February 9, 2025
प्रयागराज में प्रवेश के लिए लखनऊ की तरफ़ 30 किमी पहले से ही नवाबगंज… pic.twitter.com/1JXmzgDEGI
“Immediate emergency arrangements must be established for the millions of devotees stranded at the Prayagraj Kumbh Mela. The plight of the pilgrims, who are hungry, thirsty, distressed, and exhausted due to traffic jams, should be addressed with a humanitarian perspective. Are ordinary devotees not human beings? Reports indicate severe traffic congestion, with a jam extending 30 kilometers from Nawabganj towards Lucknow, 16 kilometers from Gohaniya on Rewa Road, and 12 to 15 kilometers from Varanasi. Additionally, there are reports of crowds even reaching the train engines. The daily lives of the general public have become exceedingly difficult. The Uttar Pradesh government has proven ineffective. It appears to be present only in its inflated advertisements, while in reality, it is absent on the ground,” reads his post on X, originally written in Hindi.
