Massive jam chokes Maha Kumbh, Akhilesh Yadav's jab at UP govt

As millions of devotees are still descending on Prayagraj to attend the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela, severe traffic jams have paralysed all roads leading to the city, with pilgrims not being able to reach the Triveni Sangam on time to take the holy dip. The Prayagraj Sangam railway station has also been closed till Friday due to excessive crowd.On Sunday, hundreds of vehicles could be seen queued up on the Sangam road and moving at a snail's pace as police barricaded the stretch for an orderly movement of pilgrims. The road connects to the Civil Lines, and if one does not want to choose that, they can take the Shastri Bridge route to reach Triveni Sangam.

Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh: Severe traffic jams have disrupted the Prayagraj Mahakumbh for two days, with devotees stuck for hours. Despite sealed entry points, the entire city remains congested, affecting both road and train travel pic.twitter.com/OWS9jMiILs

— IANS (@ians_india) February 10, 2025

Taking a jab at the Uttar Pradesh government over mismanagement, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said, "The hungry, thirsty, distressed and tired pilgrims stuck in traffic jams should be looked at with a humane perspective. Are common devotees not human beings?" In one post, the Samajwadi Party chief said, "On the occasion of Maha Kumbh, vehicles should be made toll free in UP. This will reduce travel problems and also the problem of traffic jams. When films can be made entertainment tax free, then why not vehicles be made toll free?" Akhilesh Yadav said that "there is already a jam in Nawabganj 30 km before the entry into Prayagraj towards Lucknow, a jam in Gauhania 16 km before the Rewa road, and a jam of 12 to 15 km towards Varanasi and news of the crowd entering even the engine of the train is being published everywhere. Normal life has become difficult." "The UP government has failed. It is visible only in false advertisements full of arrogance but is actually missing on the ground," he added.

प्रयागराज महाकुंभ में फँसे करोड़ों श्रद्धालुओं के लिए तुरंत आपातकालीन व्यवस्था की जाए। हर तरफ़ से जाम में भूखे, प्यासे, बेहाल और थके तीर्थयात्रियों को मानवीय दृष्टि से देखा जाए। आम श्रद्धालु क्या इंसान नहीं है?

प्रयागराज में प्रवेश के लिए लखनऊ की तरफ़ 30 किमी पहले से ही नवाबगंज… pic.twitter.com/1JXmzgDEGI

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) February 9, 2025

Devotees have questioned the administration about mismanagement of the traffic situation.