Rewa, 10 February 2025- A sea of vehicles stretching up to 300 kilometers turned roads leading to the Maha Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj into parking lots on Sunday, leaving lakhs of pilgrims stranded in their cars hundreds of kilometers away from the fair site.
The unprecedented traffic jam, which netizens dubbed the “world’s biggest traffic jam,” reportedly stretched up to 200-300 kilometers and involved vehicles of pilgrims traveling to the Maha Kumbh Mela via Madhya Pradesh, prompting police to halt traffic in various districts on Sunday, leaving people stuck on roads for several hours.
A day earlier, hundreds of vehicles heading for Prayagraj were stopped in different areas in Madhya Pradesh due to the heavy traffic and to avoid overcrowding, according to news agency PTI.
Police stopped vehicle movement in various areas of Madhya Pradesh and ordered residents to seek safe shelter.
Police vehicles in Katni district announced that traffic has been stopped until Monday, while Maihar Police ordered vehicles to return to Katni and Jabalpur and stay there.
Eyewitnesses claimed huge traffic jams across a 250-km stretch from Katni to MP-UP borders at Chakghat in Rewa district.
Commuters took to social media over the congestion, with a user saying, “Traffic Jam of 15 KM before Jabalpur …still 400 KM to prayagraj. Please read traffic situation before coming to Mahakumbh!”.
Another user wrote in a post on X at around 4:30 am on Monday, “Caught in probably the biggest traffic jam (15-20km) in the world at Kumbh…Prayagraj is completely gridlocked.”
“Moved ~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,” the post read.
In-charge Inspector General of Police (Rewa zone) Saket Prakash Pandey said the Sunday rush led to traffic jams.
He said the situation is likely to ease in a couple of days.
Pandey said the MP Police is allowing vehicles to move after coordinating with the Prayagraj administration.
Eyewitnesses claimed vehicles were stuck in traffic jams for 48 hours. “It is taking almost 10-12 hours to cover a 50-km distance,” a man said.
Police said they are stopping vehicles at different spots to prevent crowding at MP-UP borders.
The Maha Kumbh fair, which began on January 13 and will last till February 26, has attracted over 40 crore tourists from throughout the country and overseas for the sacred ‘Snan’ or holy dip at the Sangam, the meeting point of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers.
