Mahakumbh Traffic: The crowds at the Mahakumbh Mela (Kumbh Mela) are steadily increasing after the third ‘Amrit Snan’, significantly impacting traffic flow to Prayagraj. Let’s explore five major reasons behind the traffic jams…
Maha Kumbh Traffic Jam: People are arriving in Prayagraj from all corners of the country to participate in the Mahakumbh. The resulting crowd pressure is so intense that Prayagraj is grappling with massive traffic jams. All routes leading to the Sangam are severely congested. Pedestrians are having to walk approximately 20-25 kilometres. Let’s examine the five major reasons behind the Mahakumbh mega-jam…
Most Parking Lots Full
In anticipation of the large crowds, the administration had initially created 102 parking lots along all seven major routes connecting Prayagraj. After the three Amrit Snans, the administration reduced the number of parking lots to 36. However, even after Vasant Panchami, the influx of devotees continued, resulting in most parking lots filling up. This has led to a continuous stream of vehicles on the roads, causing traffic jams.
Lack of Coordination with Neighbouring Districts
No concrete plan has been implemented to stop vehicles entering Prayagraj at the borders. Because of this, the number of vehicles entering Prayagraj is constantly increasing. According to media reports, the lack of coordination between the administration and police with neighbouring districts has exacerbated the problem.
Personnel Unfamiliar with Geography
In addition to the local police and PAC, paramilitary forces have been deployed throughout the Mahakumbh Mela and Prayagraj district for traffic management and security. According to media reports, the outside police are not well-acquainted with the local geography. When asked for directions, devotees are consistently receiving the same response from the personnel: “Just keep moving slowly.” This is despite the Mela administration claiming that all security personnel received the necessary information during training.
Lack of Advance Information Dissemination
Stranded devotees are not receiving timely information about the traffic jams. There is a lack of signage along the highways to guide devotees. People are simply following each other, and when the crowd becomes too large, they are stopped using barricades. If the situation had been controlled earlier, the situation would not have become unmanageable.
VIP Protocol Issues
VIPs are arriving at the Mahakumbh daily. Barricades are being erected to ensure the smooth passage of their convoys, directly impacting traffic in Prayagraj city.
