Kumbh-bound rush in UP cities, railway stations on alert
What's the story
The ongoing Maha Kumbh in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj has drawn over 50 crore devotees since it started on January 13.
The massive influx has caused severe traffic jams in Prayagraj and neighboring cities.
Travel times have increased from 15 minutes to nearly three hours due to the crowding.
The situation worsened after a tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night, which killed at least 18 people.
Tragic incident
Stampede at New Delhi railway station amid Kumbh rush
An inquiry report revealed that an announcement for a special train for Maha Kumbh devotees and a surge in ticket sales to Prayagraj correlated with the overcrowding.
The stampede happened when passengers rushed from platform 14 to platform 16 after hearing about the special train.
Northern Railway's Chief Public Relations Officer, Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, confirmed no trains were canceled due to the incident.
He said, "The incident happened only after a passenger accidentally slipped on the bridge."
Alert and compensation
High alert issued, compensation announced for stampede victims
In the wake of the stampede, railway stations across Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have been put on high alert. ADG Railways Prakash D stressed on special vigilance on platforms for trains going to Prayagraj.
The Indian Railways also announced compensation for victims' families and injured in the incident.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav asked the Uttar Pradesh government to extend Maha Kumbh duration as the number of devotees was overwhelming.
Ongoing investigation
Investigation underway into New Delhi Railway Station stampede
The stampede victims comprised nine women, five children, and four men.
Delhi Police have initiated an investigation into the incident and are scanning CCTV footage to ascertain its cause.
Eyewitnesses at New Delhi Railway Station described chaotic scenes as crowds gathered on platforms 14 and 15.
An eyewitness named Ravi said, "The platforms of the trains were not changed, but the crowd was so huge that it could not be controlled."
Unprecedented turnout
Maha Kumbh 2025 witnesses record-breaking participation
The Uttar Pradesh government emphasized that more people have taken part in this year's Maha Kumbh than the population of several countries put together.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath called it a "living symbol of India's spirituality, unity, equality, and harmony."
He said countries such as the United States, Russia, Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan, and Bangladesh all have a smaller population than those who immersed in the sacred waters of "Sanatan Dharma" during the event.