Despite the conclusion of the four main auspicious bathing days, a relentless wave of pilgrims continues to pour into Prayagraj for a holy dip at the Sangam. This massive influx has led to severe traffic snarls both within the city and on the highways connecting to Uttar Pradesh, particularly from Madhya Pradesh. The sheer volume of four-wheelers has further exacerbated the chaos.
Life in Prayagraj has come to a standstill as residents struggle to navigate the overcrowded streets. Roads to the Sangam are choked with vehicles, leaving locals confined to their homes. The unprecedented gridlock—dubbed by many netizens as the “world’s biggest traffic jam”—has reportedly stretched over 200 to 300 kilometers, halting traffic on highways in Madhya Pradesh.
A seemingly endless sea of vehicles, extending up to 300 kilometers, turned the roads leading to the Maha Kumbh Mela into parking lots. Thousands of pilgrims, eager to participate in the world’s largest religious gathering, found themselves stranded in their vehicles for hours, unable to reach the venue.
The congestion was so severe that the Prayagraj District Administration had to take drastic measures. The Raj Sangam station of the Northern Railway’s Lucknow Division was temporarily closed to passenger movement from 1:30 PM on February 9 to midnight on February 14. Authorities assured that regular and special trains would continue to operate from eight other stations in the region, including Prayagraj Chheoki, Naini, Prayagraj Junction, Subedarganj, Prayag, Phaphamau, Prayagraj Rambagh, and Jhusi.
The gridlock wasn’t confined to Uttar Pradesh alone. In Madhya Pradesh, hundreds of vehicles heading toward Prayagraj were stopped in various districts to prevent overcrowding. Police in Katni district announced via loudspeakers that traffic would remain halted until Monday, advising pilgrims to seek shelter nearby. Similarly, in Maihar, police directed vehicles to return toward Katni and Jabalpur and wait there until the situation improved.
Social media platforms were flooded with videos and posts showing kilometers-long queues of cars and trucks stranded on roads in Katni, Jabalpur, Maihar, and Rewa districts. Eyewitness accounts described a staggering 250-kilometer-long traffic jam stretching from Katni to the MP-UP border at Chakghat in Rewa district.
One social media user shared their ordeal, tweeting, “Traffic jam of 15 KM before Jabalpur… still 400 KM to Prayagraj. Please check traffic updates before heading to Maha Kumbh!”
As pilgrims remain determined to reach the holy site, the authorities continue to grapple with managing the overwhelming turnout, which has turned the roads into a monumental logistical challenge.