Mahakumbh 2025: Devotees rush towards Varanasi, Ayodhya after holy dip, roads jammed

The ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela has seen an overwhelming influx of devotees, prompting the railway and local authorities to implement special measures to manage the massive crowds. Despite the heavy turnout, the arrival of devotees in Maha Kumbh Nagar and Varanasi continues unabated.

After bathing in the holy waters of the Maha Kumbh, a large number of pilgrims are heading towards Varanasi and Ayodhya. According to Shailendra Singh, the Assistant Police Commissioner (Traffic) of Prayagraj, most of the crowd leaving the Maha Kumbh Mela is heading towards Kashi and Ayodhya.

1.44 crore devotees bathe daily at the Maha Kumbh

Government data reveals that, on average, 1.44 crore devotees are taking a holy dip at the Maha Kumbh every day. The massive number of pilgrims has put significant pressure on Prayagraj station.

Prayagraj Sangam station closed for passenger movement

In response to the overwhelming crowd outside Prayagraj station and to alleviate the inconvenience caused to pilgrims, the North Railway's Lucknow division has decided to shut the Prayagraj Sangam station for passenger services from 1:30 PM on February 9th until midnight on February 14th. However, train operations remain normal from other stations serving the Maha Kumbh area.

Crowd size exceeds previous Kumbh Mela

This year, the Maha Kumbh has seen a much larger turnout compared to the 2019 Kumbh. According to Kuldeep Singh, the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) in Prayagraj, the crowd size has created traffic jams even on normal days, adding to the challenge of managing the event.

Dr. Sushma, who arrived with her son on the Ranchi Capital Express, shared her experience: “After bathing at the Sangam and visiting the fair, we plan to visit Kashi for darshan of Lord Bholenath, followed by a trip to Ayodhya.”