Due to the increasing crowd at Maha Kumbh 2025 in Prayagraj, traffic congestion has worsened the situation on the roads leading to Uttar Pradesh. To manage the situation, authorities have restricted vehicle entry, leading to roadblocks on National Highway-30 (NH-30) on Sunday night, February 9. Madhya Pradesh Police officer was seen standing 300 kilometres before the Prayagraj route and appealing to the people going to Maha Kumbh to return from the route. The traffic jam situation on the entire highway is very bad. Vehicles are being stopped at Katni, Maihar, and Rewa, causing thousands of people to be stranded overnight. It is taking 4 to 5 hours to cover just a couple of kilometres.
Police personnel, led by Amarpatan TI K.P. Tripathi, have been stopping Prayagraj-bound vehicles near Kharmseda, reported Amar Ujala. This has resulted in a 3 km-long queue of vehicles on the highway, leaving devotees frustrated. TI Tripathi stated that vehicles are being released in batches to prevent excessive traffic buildup. Meanwhile, the halting of vehicles on the highway has led to an increased crowd in Maihar, Madhya Pradesh, a major stop for pilgrims. The administration has been put on high alert.
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To manage the congestion, barricades have been set up at three locations in the district. Temporary toll barriers have also been erected near Maihar Pahari, Amdara, and Amarpatan to regulate traffic. Police forces have been deployed at various points to maintain order.
NH-30, the main route for devotees traveling from Maharashtra and other states to Prayagraj, has been severely impacted. By night on Sunday, over 10,000 vehicles were stuck in the jam, with authorities gradually releasing them. The Madhya Pradesh-Uttar Pradesh border is experiencing a long traffic snarl, and Katni police have urged pilgrims to postpone their travel.
At the Katni-Jabalpur stretch of NH-30, vehicles from Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Assam have blocked the entire highway. Katni district traffic police have set up barricades and are using loudspeakers to inform people about the congestion. While some travellers have turned back, many continue to push forward, worsening the situation.
The traffic gridlock has extended nearly 10 km along the MP-UP border, with people stranded overnight. Authorities are gradually releasing vehicles as the situation allows. On Friday alone, approximately 14,000 vehicles passed through the Sohagi toll plaza toward Prayagraj. Anticipating further congestion, officials began stopping vehicles at the border from 3 PM on Saturday, resulting in a 20 km-long traffic jam by morning. Authorities have stated that once the crowd in Prayagraj decreases, vehicle movement from MP will resume.