Hungry and thirsty, ‘imprisoned’ in vehicles… Experience of devotees who came to Maha Kumbh from Delhi, Bihar, Jharkhand battling traffic jam

Prayagraj: There is a huge crowd at Maha Kumbh at this time. The city of Prayagraj is completely jammed. Only vehicles are visible for several kilometers on every border of the city. Late in the evening, there was a jam at many places in dozens of districts around Prayagraj due to the crowd of devotees coming to Maha Kumbh. Vehicles were crawling on all the highways of Rae Bareli, Kaushambi, Varanasi, Jaunpur and the passengers who came from far away were forced to be ‘imprisoned’ in their cars for hours, hungry and thirsty.

At many places, the police had to announce that people should return now, come for holy bath after the crowd subsides. However, people were not ready to listen. On the other hand, a crowd of devotees is being seen in the Maha Kumbh Mela area. However, the police-administration is ready for systematic bathing. Now there is some relief from the jam as well.

Meanwhile, a family from Yamuna Vihar in East Delhi told that they had to face a huge traffic jam on the way. They had to remain ‘trapped’ in vehicles for several hours. Even after reaching the Kumbh Mela area, they had to walk several kilometers. The situation was such that there was no place to even put a foot near Sangam Nose. They bathed with great difficulty. Now they will have to struggle to go back as well, because there are still reports of jams at various places.

Due to the jam, the condition of children and the elderly has become bad. A passenger from Haryana said that we had come to bathe in the Maha Kumbh. We have been here for the last 36 hours and are unable to get out. I have to go to Haryana. The UP government had said that full arrangements have been made for the devotees. But here people are facing problems due to the jam.

Last evening, due to the huge crowd of devotees returning after bathing in the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, tremendous traffic pressure was seen on the Prayagraj-Varanasi National Highway. In view of the long queues of vehicles and traffic jam on the highway, the Bhadohi administration decided to temporarily make Lala Nagar toll plaza toll free. However, the situation is normal this morning.

In fact, on Sunday, thousands of vehicles thronged the Bhadohi highway, causing a long jam of several kilometers. The traffic system collapsed due to the slow speed of vehicles and long queues at the toll plaza. Seeing the situation, the administration took a quick decision and ordered the temporary abolition of toll tax.

On Sunday, when there was a massive jam for several kilometers on the routes of the Maha Kumbh Mela, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav asked the government to make emergency arrangements for the stranded devotees. At the same time, Prayagraj Sangam railway station was closed due to excessive crowd outside the station.