Since the Kalpvas, a MahaKumbh custom that started on January 13 and will end on Wednesday (12 February 2025) in honor of Maghi Purnima, the authorities have designated the whole MahaKumbh district as a “No Vehicle Zone” starting at 5 p.m. on February 11 and lasting till February 12.
Chaos and protracted traffic bottlenecks have been caused by the surge of pilgrims heading into Prayagraj. Along certain routes, devotees have been instructed to park their cars in approved spots. “The sheer scale of gathering has pushed the infrastructure of Prayagraj beyond its maximum capacity, making delays in traffic movement inevitable not due to mismanagement, but due to the sheer volume of devotees,” said Prashant Kumar, U.P. DGP.
This year, more than 10 lakh devotees have undertaken Kalpavas at the Triveni Sangam here, the Uttar Pradesh government said in a statement. According to tradition, Kalpvas entails a month-long time from Paush Purnima to Magh Purnima of self-control, fasting, and satsang on the banks of Sangam. Stations in Prayagraj are operating properly, according to Union Minister for Railways Ashwini, thus there’s no reason to trust allegations that the intersection is closed.
