Maha Kumbh 2025: 300 km-long traffic jam chokes Prayagraj; netizens say, 'Don't trust Google Navigation'

As crores of devotees are headed to Prayagraj, severe traffic congestion was witnessed for kilometers on the routes to the Maha Kumbh Mela on Sunday. Over 1.42 crore devotees took a dip in the Ganga and Sangam by 6 pm on Sunday, and more than 42 crore have done so so far.

Police in the bordering Madhya Pradesh's Maihar stated it was impossible to move towards Prayagraj as there is a traffic jam of 200-300 km. Stranded devotees took to social media to share their woes. They also shared videos of the traffic congestion in Prayagraj.

A user wrote: "Guys, #Kumbh is extremely crowded, and the entire #PrayagrajTraffic is chaotic and choked! For the first time, I saw #GoogleNavigation showing the whole route in blue, yet it took nearly 5 HOURS to cover just 15–20 km! So, don’t trust Google Navigation! Locals say the crowd surged massively after Feb 5 and is now almost as packed as it was on Jan!  Stay prepared!"

"It is the reality of Mahakumbh Jam. If you're still thinking about coming to Mahakumbh, have a lot of patience and enough water and food because how much congestion will be on the road. No one knows. Everywhere there is the crowd of devotees, devotees and devotees," another user wrote.

"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," a third social media user said.

"For those planning to visit Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj this week: Be prepared for massive crowds and long delays. Entry gates are closed 300 km ahead, and the city has a minimum 8-hour traffic jam. Only train, flight, and pedestrian access are manageable. Plan wisely.for the holydip," yet another user noted.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav urged the government to make emergency arrangements immediately for the stranded devotees. He further said the government has failed, being visible only in "false advertisements full of arrogance" but missing on the ground.

"The hungry, thirsty, distressed and tired pilgrims in the traffic jam everywhere should be looked at with a humane perspective. Is the common devotee not a human being?" Yadav asked in his post. He shared a video of police in Madhya Pradesh asking people not to travel to Prayagraj due to the heavy traffic.

Meanwhile, the Prayagraj Sangam railway station was closed due to the excessive crowd outside. The railways also implemented traffic restrictions at Prayagraj Junction station to manage the huge crowds.

Unreserved passengers were allowed entry only from the city side, while reserved passengers could enter through gate 5 and access platforms 30 minutes before train arrivals.