Maha Kumbh-bound stranded vehicles on MP-UP border keep govt on toes

A large number of vehicles carrying thousands of devotees to Maha Kumbh remained stuck on the border between Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday due to a huge crowd in Prayagraj, officials said. The vehicles heading to Prayagraj have been stopped since late last night in various holding areas near Rewa in Madhya Pradesh, they said.  Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said in a post on X that food and accommodation arrangements were made for the devotees stranded in Rewa district. Rewa city is located 130 km from Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh. 

  Yadav said crores of devotees from all over the country and abroad were reaching Prayagraj to take a holy bath there on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya on Wednesday. In view of the festival, elaborate arrangements have been made for devotees on the Madhya Pradesh-Uttar Pradesh border in Rewa, he said.  "Due to heavy crowds in Prayagraj, vehicles of thousands of devotees are stuck at the border under Chakghat police station in Rewa district today," the chief minister said. The state police and administration officials were present at the spot, taking care of proper arrangements of the food and accommodation for all devotees there, he said. "Along with this, a team of doctors has also been made available at the spot for health-related needs," the CM, who is currently on a visit to Japan in connection with the Global Investors Summit scheduled later this month, said.  Yadav appealed to the devotees to maintain patience and follow the administration's guidelines. Eyewitnesses said that long queues of vehicles could be seen on various roads after the administration stopped the traffic in view of the situation in Prayagraj. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Rewa zone, Saket Prakash Pandey, said almost 18 per cent of the total devotees reaching Prayagraj were passing from Chakghat and Hanumana in Rewa and Chitrakoot in Satna district.

"We are in contact with the UP government and continuously monitoring the situation. All the arrangements are being made," he said. Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Anil Sonkar said the national highway going towards Prayagraj was witnessing traffic jams due to heavy flow of vehicles of devotees going for Kumbh. "We are in contact with the control room of Prayagraj Maha Kumbh. They also requested to keep the vehicles in the holding areas so that they can clear the vehicles. There was a traffic jam from Prayagraj to Chakghat on Tuesday," he said. Chakghat is located 50 km from Prayagraj.

Sonkar said holding areas were created at three to four locations and the police force was deployed there. Police personnel from Satna have also been called to handle the situation.

Rewa district collector Pratibha Pal said three holding areas have been created at Chakghat in the district and all the arrangements have been made. Arrangements for food and accommodation were also made in Churhata, Raipur, Mangawan area, she said. Traffic is being cleared at the earliest, she said. At least 30 people were killed and 60 others injured in a stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj in the early hours of Wednesday. The pre-dawn stampede at the Sangam area occurred as millions of pilgrims jostled for space to take a holy dip on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, considered one of the most auspicious days during the mela.