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A record-breaking traffic jam stretched across a 200-300 km stretch of road leading to Prayagraj for the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela.
On Sunday, February 9, pilgrims traveling to the world’s largest religious gathering found themselves stranded for hours, with their vehicles stuck in the massive congestion. This overwhelming traffic gridlock has been dubbed the “world’s biggest traffic jam” by online users.
Caught in probably the biggest traffic jam (15-20km) in the world at Kumbh
Prayagraj is completely gridlocked.
Advertisement · Scroll to continueMoved ~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
— Bhaskar Sarma🗿 (@bhas) February 9, 2025
Just 5 k.m. away from this toll at Kokhraj UP, stuck in traffic jam from 2 to 6 a.m. today.
How the express ways and tolls are helping Indian public…..fail to understand. Taffic did not move an inch for 2 hrs. Made calls at 112 and it’s moving at 5 km per hr pic.twitter.com/qfz09A98AW— Sandip Kaur (@92sandip11) February 9, 2025
Traffic Disruptions in Madhya Pradesh
The traffic chaos prompted authorities to halt vehicles in various districts of Madhya Pradesh to manage the crowds and prevent overcrowding.
Vehicles traveling towards Prayagraj were stopped on Saturday in areas such as Katni, Jabalpur, Maihar, and Rewa. Police announced in Katni that traffic would remain halted until Monday, urging drivers to seek shelter and stay in the area.
Massive Gridlock on the Route to Prayagraj
Eyewitnesses reported a 250-km-long traffic jam from Katni to Chakghat at the MP-UP border. Social media users shared updates about the situation, with one user noting a 15-km traffic jam near Jabalpur, still 400 km away from Prayagraj.
Some travelers faced extreme delays, including one commuter who posted about being stuck for over five hours, covering just 5 km, and having to rebook a flight due to the delay.
Impact of Heavy Pilgrim Traffic
Rewa’s Inspector General of Police, Saket Prakash Pandey, explained that the traffic congestion was due to the high volume of vehicles headed towards Prayagraj.
Authorities are working with Prayagraj’s administration to ease the situation, which is expected to improve in the coming days. Vehicles were halted at strategic locations to prevent further congestion at the border.
Many vehicles were stuck in traffic for up to 48 hours, with some travelers reporting it took 10-12 hours to cover just 50 km. The situation became increasingly difficult as more pilgrims arrived for the religious event, creating an unrelenting pressure on the roads leading to Prayagraj.
The Rewa district administration acknowledged the ongoing traffic crisis and noted that the number of pilgrims heading to Prayagraj was not decreasing.
To address the situation, local officials stopped vehicles at key points and coordinated with Prayagraj authorities to manage the flow of traffic. Measures were taken to provide food, water, and safe shelter for those stranded in the traffic jams.
MP BJP President VD Sharma encouraged party workers to assist the pilgrims by ensuring their comfort and safety during the journey. He urged them to help provide food and accommodation if necessary, to ensure that the pilgrims’ experience remained as smooth as possible.
The Maha Kumbh Mela, which began on January 13 and will continue until February 26, has attracted over 40 crore visitors, including people from across India and abroad.
The event is centered around the sacred ‘Snan’ (holy dip) at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers, drawing millions of devotees to Prayagraj for this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
