Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav has urged the Uttar Pradesh government to extend the duration of the Maha Kumbh, citing the massive influx of devotees still attempting to attend. He pointed out that in previous years, the Maha Kumbh and Kumbh Mela lasted 75 days, whereas the current event is scheduled for a shorter period.
“Even now, many people want to go to Maha Kumbh but cannot. In such a situation, the government should extend the time limit of Maha Kumbh,” Mr. Yadav stated.
Social media visuals depict packed trains, congested roads, and enormous crowds making their way to the Maha Kumbh. Earlier this week, roads leading to the event experienced severe traffic jams stretching for kilometers. The Prayagraj Sangam railway station was also temporarily shut down due to overcrowding.
Additionally, Mr. Yadav accused the state government of hiding the actual death toll from last month’s stampede at the Maha Kumbh.
The Maha Kumbh, recognized as the world’s largest spiritual gathering, commenced on January 13 and is scheduled to conclude on February 26, coinciding with Maha Shivaratri. According to state government data, over 50 crore people have taken a holy dip at the Sangam as of Friday evening—surpassing the combined population of Russia and the United States.
On Friday alone, over 92 lakh devotees took a dip, pushing the total Maha Kumbh footfall past 50 crore as of February 14, according to the state government.
