300 km traffic jam in Maha kumbh, people stuck for 48 hour

Up to 25 km of traffic jams were reported on routes leading to Prayagraj from Varanasi, Lucknow, and Kanpur.

Prayagraj is currently dealing with huge traffic problems as thousands of people traveling to the Maha Kumbh Mela are stuck on highways. Reports say the traffic jam stretches for hundreds of kilometers, with some saying the line of vehicles is as long as 300 km. Many thought the crowds would reduce after the Amrit Snan on Basant Panchmi, but instead, more and more people are heading to Prayagraj for the holy dip.

The situation has become so bad that police in some areas of neighboring Madhya Pradesh have stopped vehicles from moving toward Prayagraj. Officials say it’s impossible to travel to the city right now because of the massive traffic jams, which are reportedly 200-300 km long. Inspector General of Police (Rewa zone) Saket Prakash Pandey said the jams are due to the weekend rush and expects things to get better in a few days. He added that vehicles are only being allowed to move after coordinating with the Prayagraj administration.

People stuck in the traffic are facing a lot of difficulties. One person said vehicles have been stuck for up to 48 hours, and it’s taking 10-12 hours to travel just 50 km. Traffic jams of up to 25 km have been reported on roads leading to Prayagraj from Varanasi, Lucknow, and Kanpur. Even inside the city, which is hosting the huge Kumbh festival, there is a 7 km-long traffic jam.

To handle the large crowds, the Prayagraj Sangam railway station has been temporarily closed. Railways officer Kuldeep Tiwari said the station was closed because passengers were finding it hard to leave due to the huge number of people outside. For now, a one-way traffic system is in place at the Prayagraj Junction station.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Kuldeep Singh said the traffic jam is happening because too many vehicles are trying to reach the Mela site. He explained that the large number of vehicles, combined with people trying to get as close as possible to the Maha Kumbh Mela area, has caused the long traffic jams.

The situation has also led to criticism from political leaders. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav blamed the Uttar Pradesh government for the traffic mess, saying it has also caused shortages of essential items in the city.

Despite the problems, the Maha Kumbh Mela is still drawing huge crowds. Officials said over 46 lakh people took a holy dip in the Sangam today, and since the event started last month, around 44 crore pilgrims have taken part in the ritual.

Keywords: Mahakumbhjam, Jam in prayagraj, kumbh jam, Maha kumbh jam