A staggering sea of vehicles, stretching nearly 300 kilometres, brought roads leading to the Maha Kumbh Mela to a standstill, with pilgrims caught in snarls that lasted hours on Sunday.
Reports indicated that lakhs of attendees heading to the world's largest religious gathering in Prayagraj were stranded hundreds of kilometres from the fair site.
The extraordinary congestion, described by netizens as the "world's biggest traffic jam," reportedly extended from Madhya Pradesh across multiple districts.
Police authorities halted traffic in several locations, urging motorists to find shelter.
On Sunday, police vehicles in Katni district broadcast announcements halting traffic until Monday, while Maihar Police directed vehicles back towards Katni and Jabalpur for safety. Madhya Pradesh Police also appealed to people to avoid travelling towards Prayagraj until conditions improved.
"It is impossible to move towards Prayagraj today as there is a traffic jam of 200-300 kilometres," a police official was quoted as saying.
Also read: Sangam turns spiritual epicentre as 41 crore take the plunge at Prayag
Social media was abuzz with videos and posts depicting endless lines of vehicles.
One user reported, "Traffic Jam of 15 KM before Jabalpur... still 400 KM to Prayagraj. Please read traffic situation before coming to Mahakumbh!"
Another post on X at 4:30 am on Monday read, "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."
Eyewitnesses claimed that vehicles were stranded for up to 48 hours, with one man stating, "It is taking almost 10-12 hours to cover a 50-km distance."
In-charge Inspector General of Police (Rewa zone) Saket Prakash Pandey acknowledged the Sunday rush as the cause of the traffic bottlenecks but expressed optimism that the situation would ease in a few days.
"The MP Police is allowing vehicles to move after coordinating with the Prayagraj administration," he said.
The Rewa district administration noted that the volume of vehicles remained undiminished, putting unrelenting pressure on the Rewa-Prayagraj route.
"As crowds increased beyond Chakghat, vehicles were stopped there and other locations," stated a release from the Rewa district office.
Rewa district collector Pratibha Pal assured pilgrims that arrangements were being made for their safe stay, including provisions for food and water.
"Vehicles have been held up due to the heavy crowds on the highway," she added.
The Madhya Pradesh BJP president, VD Sharma, urged party workers to assist pilgrims traversing through their areas.
"All the workers are requested to help the devotees going to Maha Kumbh through their areas in every possible way. Make arrangements for their food and accommodation if needed. Take special care that the devotees do not face any inconvenience. Let us play our role in this Maha Yagya," Sharma posted on X.
The Maha Kumbh fair, which commenced on 13 January and will conclude on 26 February, has already drawn over 40 crore visitors from across India and abroad for the sacred 'Snan' or holy dip at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers.
Also read: President Murmu to take holy dip at Maha Kumbh on Mon
Follow us
