A colossal traffic jam stretching up to 300 kilometres has left lakhs of pilgrims stranded on highways leading to Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, as they journey to the Maha Kumbh Mela. The gridlock has caused significant delays, with many devotees unable to reach the sacred site for the scheduled holy dip.
The congestion, described by some as the “world’s biggest traffic jam,” has seen vehicles backed up across multiple districts. In response, authorities halted traffic in various areas to prevent further overcrowding in Prayagraj. This measure, while aimed at managing the influx, resulted in travellers being stuck for extended periods on the highways.
The situation escalated to the point where police in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh intervened, stopping hundreds of vehicles to mitigate the congestion. Despite these efforts, the bottleneck extended across 200 to 300 kilometres, significantly affecting pilgrims travelling through Madhya Pradesh.
The Samajwadi Party chief criticised the administration’s handling of the event, urging authorities to address the plight of stranded devotees. He highlighted major jams at Nawabganj, approximately 30 kilometres before entering Prayagraj from the Lucknow side, a bottleneck at Gauhania, 16 kilometres before Rewa Road, and a traffic snarl extending 12 to 15 kilometres towards Varanasi. He also cited reports of overcrowding in trains, with passengers even squeezing into engines to reach their destination.
In response to the crisis, authorities in Madhya Pradesh halted 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, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s state president in Madhya Pradesh urged party workers to assist stranded pilgrims in their respective regions. He called upon them to arrange food and shelter if needed, ensuring that no devotee faces inconvenience during this period.
Frustrated devotees have 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.
The Maha Kumbh Mela, which began on January 12, 2025, is the world’s largest religious gathering, with more than 400 million people expected to participate over six weeks. Devotees gather to take a holy dip at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers, seeking spiritual cleansing and salvation.
In anticipation of the massive influx, authorities had prepared a sprawling temporary city along the riverbanks, equipped with extensive infrastructure, including tents, kitchens, restrooms, and enhanced electricity and transportation services. Surveillance and security measures involved 40,000 police personnel, ambulance services, and AI-powered systems.
Despite these preparations, the sheer volume of pilgrims has overwhelmed the infrastructure, leading to significant challenges in crowd and traffic management. The unexpected turnout, especially following the Basant Panchami’s Amrit Snan, has caught authorities off guard, resulting in the current traffic crisis.
The situation has been further exacerbated by a deadly stampede that occurred on January 30, 2025, during the Mauni Amavasya bath. Moments before the incident, devotees had pleaded with police to open barricaded routes to alleviate the suffocating crowd waiting to bathe in the river. The stampede resulted in at least 30 deaths, though morgue officials suggest the toll might be over 50.
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