Massive 300-km traffic jam on route to Maha Kumbh leaves lakhs of pilgrims stranded

Prayagraj: A sea of vehicles stretching up to 300 kilometres turned the roads leading to the Maha Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj into a massive parking lot, leaving lakhs of devotees stranded for hours, unable to reach the world’s largest religious gathering.

The unprecedented congestion forced many to remain stuck in their vehicles, some even hundreds of kilometres away from the fair site on Sunday and Monday.

A day earlier, heavy traffic heading toward Prayagraj had already led to police stopping hundreds of vehicles in different areas of Madhya Pradesh to prevent overcrowding.

The extreme bottleneck, which social media users dubbed the “world’s biggest traffic jam,” reportedly extended across 200 to 300 kilometres, affecting pilgrims travelling through Madhya Pradesh.

The situation prompted the state police to halt traffic across multiple districts, leaving travellers stuck for long hours on highways.

Taking a swipe at the Uttar Pradesh government, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav blasted the administration’s handling of the event, urging authorities to address the plight of stranded devotees.

“The hungry, thirsty, distressed, and exhausted pilgrims stuck in traffic jams should be looked at with a humane perspective. Are common devotees, not human beings?” Yadav asked in a post on X.

The former Chief Minister also demanded that vehicles be made toll-free across Uttar Pradesh during the Maha Kumbh to ease congestion and ensure a smoother journey for devotees.

“On the occasion of Maha Kumbh, vehicles should be made toll-free in UP. This will reduce travel problems and also the issue of traffic jams. When films can be made entertainment tax-free, then why not exempt vehicles from tolls for this religious event?” he wrote.

He further highlighted specific trouble spots, mentioning major jams at Nawabganj, 30 km before entering Prayagraj from the Lucknow side, a bottleneck at Gauhania, 16 km before Rewa Road, and a traffic snarl extending 12-15 km towards Varanasi.

He also cited reports of overcrowding in trains, with passengers even squeezing into engines to reach their destination. “Normal life has become difficult,” he added.

Meanwhile, authorities in Madhya Pradesh responded by halting vehicular movement in multiple districts. In Katni, police announced through loudspeakers that traffic had been stopped until Monday. In Maihar, officers advised vehicles to turn back toward Katni and Jabalpur to find temporary shelter.

Several videos circulating on social media captured the extent of the congestion, with endless lines of cars and trucks clogging roads across the Katni, Jabalpur, Maihar, and Rewa districts. Eyewitnesses reported that the traffic jam spanned nearly 250 kilometres from Katni to the MP-UP border at Chakghat in Rewa district.

As the crisis unfolded, Madhya Pradesh BJP president V.D. Sharma urged party workers to assist stranded pilgrims in their respective regions. “All workers are requested to help the devotees heading to Maha Kumbh in every possible way. Arrange food and shelter if needed. Ensure that no devotee faces inconvenience. Let us play our role in this Maha Yagya,” he posted on X.

Frustrated devotees have also voiced their grievances over the mismanagement of the traffic situation. Pilgrims from Faridabad reported that what should have been a routine journey took them over 24 hours to reach Prayagraj. A family from Jaipur shared their frustration, saying they were stuck for hours just to cover a mere four-kilometre stretch.

With the Maha Kumbh continuing until February 26, authorities face mounting pressure to resolve the traffic chaos and ensure smoother movement for the remaining weeks of the grand religious gathering.

IANS