Prayagraj: A day after the stampede at the Maha Kumbh, the city and the Mela have come to a stand still. Many of the the devotees are now trapped within the mela, as most exit routes are still cordoned off by police.
There is talk of traffic jams along the Shashtri Bridge going towards Varanasi. Some people have been stuck there for five hours and say that they have managed to cover only 15-20 odd kilometres in this time.
There are also reports of blockages on various state borders and state highways leading to Prayagraj. There were blockages reported in Varanasi, Chanduli, and Ayodhya. A massive traffic build-up was also reported by travellers on the Chhattisgarh and Bihar borders.
Major trains including the Vande Bharat to Prayagraj have been cancelled or rescheduled. This has led to significant worry as people try to leave the city.
The morning of January 30 saw passengers stranded within the Mela too. I spoke with a group leaving on a truck because they could not find any other transport. “We had been trying to leave the mela grounds since 7 am,” said Ram Chand Kol, from Mirzapur.
The Maha Kumbh Mela on January 30, 2025. Photo: Indra Shekhar Singh.
By mid-day only the old Naini Bridge was operational, while the other bridges across the Ganga and Yamuna were blocked.
There is hardly any public transport within the mela. Private vehicles are banned, and there are no e-rickshaws running to carry passengers to the exit points. Only a handful of the 28 pontoon bridges still remain open to the common people.
I spoke with a groups of women from Madhya Pradesh who said they had witnessed the stampede. “We are lucky to be alive, but all our money and bags are lost. How will he get back home?” Rita, 55, from Satna, said.
Another group of seven from Odisha was beginning the long walk of around 15 kms to the Prayagraj Junction. “We had reserved tickets for yesterday, but we couldn’t reach the station. At the station, there was a lot of chaos also. We will try again to board a train; if we fail we will sleep near the station,” Rajesh Mohapatra, from Cuttack, said.
“People are leaving at 4 pm for 12 am trains, and yet there is no guarantee they will make to the train. This is a mess,” he added.
I spoke with Brij Singh, a local, who explained that it took him two hours to reach his home in the city.
High inflation spikes
While people are scrambling to get out of the mela, food prices within it have skyrocketed. Most of the small vendors are running out of supplies like milk, flour, and sugar, due to the police cordons and traffic jams.
Over the past two days, the quality of the food has drastically dropped and prices are steeply rising. Potatoes for example are selling at over Rs 60 a kilo. Onions and tomatoes are over Rs 100. Milk is being sold at Rs 180 for a packet.
Tea stalls around the area have shut shop.
The Maha Kumbh Mela on January 30, 2025. Photo: Indra Shekhar Singh.
Changes
After the massive stampede, a physical inquiry has been ordered. Rumours also have it that the government will revise the casualty list.
The common folk are hanging by a thread. The best thing the administrators can do is ensure people are not stuck in the mela. Exit routes should be cleared up and priority should be given to people leaving. Additionally, food rations should be bought in the mela area to control inflation too.
