Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj and surrounding cities continued to be gridlocked during the weekend as huge traffic of thousands of vehicles headed towards the city for the current Maha Kumbh. More than 50 crore devotees have visited the event, which has been running since last month.
Serious traffic jams were witnessed in places like Balsan, Bairhana, Sobtiabagh, and Darbhanga, where a trip that usually takes 15 minutes is now taking close to three hours.
Rewa in Madhya Pradesh, on the boundary of Prayagraj, has also experienced a record number of Maha Kumbh-bound vehicles in the last 24 hours.
In spite of the culmination of three important ‘Amrit Snans’ (sacred baths) during Makar Sankranti, Mauni Amavasya, and Basant Panchami, traffic is stuck.
Stepped-Up Railway Vigilance
The deteriorating traffic condition comes on the heels of a tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station, where 18 individuals died as a result of an unexpected surge of commuters trying to catch trains to the Maha Kumbh. In reaction, numerous railway stations in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have been placed under high alert.
Highways Jammed for Kilometers
Last week, thousands of pilgrims going to the Maha Kumbh were stuck on roads because of jams that extended for hundreds of kilometers. The queue of vehicles reportedly extended as far as 300 kilometers on main routes leading to Prayagraj.
Call for Maha Kumbh Extension
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav appealed to the Uttar Pradesh government to increase the Maha Kumbh duration as a large number of devotees are finding it difficult to access the place.
Akhilesh Yadav recalled that in previous years, both Maha Kumbh and Kumbh Mela extended over 75 days, whereas now the timeline is shorter.
Maha Kumbh Footfall Tops 50 Crore
More than 50 crore pilgrims have taken a sacred bath at Sangam, the meeting of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the legendary Saraswati rivers, during the current Maha Kumbh.
The Maha Kumbh, the world’s largest religious congregation, started on January 13 and is expected to last till February 26.
Subsequently, the Uttar Pradesh government emphasized the record breaking number of people taking part.
“All the countries of the United States, Russia, Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan, and Bangladesh collectively have less population than the ones who have been drenched in the holy waters of Sanatan Dharma,” the state government declared while announcing the crossing of the 50-crore mark.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath termed Maha Kumbh 2025 as a “living embodiment of India’s spirituality, harmony, equality, and unity.”
Even before the event started, officials had projected the foot traffic between 40 crore and 45 crore. The actual turn out has already crossed expectations, though.
