Maha Kumbh 2025: Traffic advisory issued for Maghi Purnima Snan

New Delhi, Feb 11 (IANS) In preparation for the Maghi Purnima Snan on February 12, the Prayagraj administration has issued a comprehensive traffic advisory to ensure smooth movement and safety of devotees during the Maha Kumbh.

According to the advisory, from 4:00 A.M. on Tuesday, the entire Mela area will be designated as a 'No Vehicle Zone,' with exceptions granted only to essential and emergency services.

To manage the influx of pilgrims travelling from different parts of the country, all vehicles arriving in Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh Snan will be directed to designated parking areas from 4:00 AM on February 11 onwards. Only essential and emergency service vehicles will be allowed beyond these parking zones.

Further, to facilitate the movement of devotees within Prayagraj city and the Mela area, a 'No Vehicle Zone' will be enforced across the city starting from 5:00 PM on Tuesday. This restriction will remain in place until the smooth dispersal of pilgrims from the Mela area on Wednesday.

However, essential and emergency service vehicles will remain exempt from these restrictions.

The same traffic regulations will also apply to Kalpvasis, the devotees who reside in the Mela area for an extended period of spiritual observance. Vehicles belonging to Kalpvasis will also be restricted under these rules.

The administration has urged visitors and residents to comply with these traffic arrangements to ensure a smooth and safe pilgrimage experience.

Given the massive crowds expected for the sacred bathing ritual, these measures aim to prevent congestion and ensure that emergency services can operate without hindrance. Authorities have advised pilgrims to use public transportation and follow designated routes for entry and exit.

Meanwhile, the devotees travelling to Ayodhya from the Maha Kumbh are being halted 25 km from Ram Mandir at the Military Ground Holding Area in Bikapur. After waiting for 1 to 2 hours, vehicles are allowed to proceed to Ayodhya.

With millions expected to participate in the Maghi Purnima Snan, these traffic restrictions are part of the broader crowd management strategy for Maha Kumbh.

Earlier, a sea 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 lot, leaving lakhs of devotees stranded for hours, unable to reach the world's largest religious gathering.

The unprecedented congestion forced many to remain stuck in their vehicles, some even hundreds of kilometres away from the fair site on Sunday and Monday.

A day earlier, heavy traffic heading toward Prayagraj had already led to police stopping hundreds of vehicles in different areas of Madhya Pradesh to prevent overcrowding.

The extreme bottleneck, which social media users dubbed the "world's biggest traffic jam," reportedly extended across 200 to 300 kms, affecting pilgrims travelling through Madhya Pradesh.

The situation prompted the state police to halt traffic across multiple districts, leaving travellers stuck for long hours on highways.