UP CM Yogi Adityanath’s claim of preparations for 100 crore pilgrims falls short as Allahabad grapples with unprecedented gridlock, leaving devotees and locals frustrated.
Team Clarion
ALLAHABAD — The Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, has turned into a logistical nightmare as Allahabad faces severe traffic jams, leaving devotees stranded for hours and disrupting daily life for locals. Despite Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s assurance that “preparations are being made for 100 crore people,” the administration appears overwhelmed by the sheer volume of pilgrims.
The roads leading to Sangam, the holy confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers, are clogged with vehicles, with traffic jams stretching for kilometres. The gridlock has spilled over to neighbouring districts and states, creating a ripple effect of chaos. Seven major entry points to Allahabad have been paralysed for nearly two days, leaving pilgrims trapped in their vehicles.
“We did not find Sangam to bathe in, we are coming back after bathing in Ganga,” said a woman from Kanpur, highlighting the frustration of many devotees. “We got a vehicle from Chauraha to go to Gangaji, so we took it and bathed there. Now we hold our ears, we will never come again in our life.”
The situation has become so dire that police in Madhya Pradesh are urging pilgrims to reconsider their journey. A viral video shows officers near the Katni border pleading with travellers: “All the people going to Prayagraj are requested to reconsider. Go back home. There is a lot of traffic jam on the road ahead. If we are stopping you here and requesting you, then there must be some seriousness. Think now, take a U-turn from the next.”
Local residents are equally frustrated. Diapak Sahu, an Allahabad resident, told The Wire Hindi, “The crowd is not only in the fair, it is in the whole city. People who come to the fair have come with their own time that they have to bathe, they have to stay. But the lives of the local people are getting badly affected by this crowd. To go from Civil Line to Naini or from Chowk to Naini, one has to walk fifteen kilometres. If we go by car, it takes easily five to seven hours.”
Another local lamented, “All the intersections of the city have been left to the care of one SI (Sub-Inspector). There is no senior officer. The whole system has collapsed. After Mauni Amavasya, it seems as if the government has left the people here to their fate. We are not able to go out of the city even for our work. There is no fuel in the petrol pumps. Businessmen are worried because goods are not coming from outside.”
Nitin, a volunteer involved in the fair arrangements, described the situation as dire. “The crowd has increased since Basant Panchami. There is a 20-20 kilometre-long jam before the entry points of the city. The entire city is jammed. The condition of the administration is bad. People are being made to wander here and there by diverting the routes. The poor devotees are walking hungry and thirsty for 15-20 kilometres.”
Nitin suggested that restricting private vehicles and increasing government bus services could alleviate the crisis. However, the state government’s claim of banning VIP culture has also come under scrutiny. Despite assurances, locals report seeing vehicles with red lights and sirens bypassing the chaos, further exacerbating the gridlock. “The VIPs are passing, but others are getting stuck while making way for them. The government must put a stop to this,” Nitin added.
The traffic chaos has even impacted the functioning of the Allahabad High Court, with hearings in several cases postponed due to lawyers and petitioners being unable to reach the court. On Monday, the hearing of a petition filed by Alt News journalist Mohammad Zubair was adjourned, with the court extending his interim relief from arrest till February 17.
As the Maha Kumbh continues, the administration faces mounting criticism for its inability to manage the influx of pilgrims. For now, the dream of a spiritual journey to Sangam has turned into a test of endurance for millions, leaving many to wonder if the promise of “preparations for 100 crore people” was merely an empty assurance.
