Severe traffic congestion reportedly stretching 300km, has left thousands of devotees stranded en route to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh, sparking criticism from opposition leaders.
Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav slammed the ruling BJP's "double-engine government" blaming it for the traffic chaos. He sarcastically questioned whether this was the "Viksit Bharat" the government promised, adding,"What's the point of reaching the Moon if we can't manage traffic on Earth?"
Over the past 48 hours, thousands of pilgrims have faced severe delays, with some travelers covering just 40km overnight. A journey that usually takes four to five hours is now exceeding 12 hours.
Yadav also questioned the administration's handling of the Kumbh, particularly its claims about drones monitoring crowd movement. He criticized the lack of official figures on missing or deceased persons, referencing the January 29 stampede, which left at least 30 dead and 60 injured.
The opposition leader accused the Yogi Adityanath-led government of suppressing casualty numbers and delaying an official response. He pointed out that the Chief Minister acknowledged the deaths only after the Prime Minister and President did so.
Criticism over the Maha Kumbh's mismanagement continues, with demands for accountability and transparency regarding both the traffic crisis and the stampede tragedy.
