Maha Kumbh 2025: Traffic Guidelines for Maghi Purnima Snan
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Synopsis
In preparation for the Maghi Purnima Snan on February 12, the Prayagraj administration has issued a detailed traffic advisory to ensure smooth movement and safety of devotees during the Maha Kumbh.
Key Takeaways
- No Vehicle Zone established in the Mela area from 4:00 A.M.
- Designated parking areas for arriving vehicles
- Traffic restrictions enforced to ensure safety
- Public transport encouraged for pilgrims
- Emergency services remain exempt from limitations
New Delhi, Feb 11 (NationPress) To prepare for the Maghi Purnima Snan on February 12, the Prayagraj administration has released a detailed traffic advisory aimed at ensuring the smooth flow and safety of pilgrims during the Maha Kumbh.
As per the advisory, starting from 4:00 A.M. on Tuesday, the entire Mela area will be classified as a 'No Vehicle Zone,' with exceptions made solely for essential and emergency services.
To accommodate the large number of pilgrims arriving from various regions of the country, all vehicles coming to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh Snan will be routed to designated parking areas from 4:00 AM on February 11 onwards. Only essential and emergency service vehicles will be permitted to proceed beyond these parking areas.
Moreover, to support the movement of pilgrims within Prayagraj city and the Mela area, a 'No Vehicle Zone' will be enforced throughout the city beginning at 5:00 PM on Tuesday. This restriction will remain effective until the orderly dispersal of pilgrims from the Mela area on Wednesday.
However, essential and emergency service vehicles will continue to be exempt from these limitations.
The same traffic rules will also apply to Kalpvasis, the devotees who stay in the Mela area for an extended period in spiritual observance. Vehicles belonging to Kalpvasis will also be limited under these regulations.
The administration has called upon visitors and locals to adhere to these traffic guidelines to ensure a safe and smooth pilgrimage experience.
With the anticipated massive crowds for the sacred bathing ritual, these measures are intended to avert congestion and guarantee that emergency services can function without interruption. Authorities recommend that pilgrims use public transport and follow designated entry and exit routes.
In the meantime, devotees heading to Ayodhya from the Maha Kumbh are being halted 25 km from Ram Mandir at the Military Ground Holding Area in Bikapur. After a wait of 1 to 2 hours, vehicles are permitted to proceed to Ayodhya.
With millions expected to join in the Maghi Purnima Snan, these traffic limitations are part of the larger crowd management strategy for the Maha Kumbh.
Previously, a vast line of vehicles stretching up to 300 kms turned the roads leading to the Maha Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj into a massive parking area, causing lakhs of devotees to be stranded for hours, unable to reach the world's largest religious gathering.
The unprecedented congestion forced many to remain trapped in their vehicles, with some even hundreds of kilometers away from the fair site on Sunday and Monday.
The day prior, heavy traffic heading toward Prayagraj had already led to police stopping hundreds of vehicles in various regions of Madhya Pradesh to prevent overcrowding.
The extreme bottleneck, which social media users labeled the 'world's biggest traffic jam,' reportedly spanned across 200 to 300 kms, affecting pilgrims traveling through Madhya Pradesh.
This situation prompted the state police to stop traffic across multiple districts, leaving travelers stuck for extended periods on highways.
