LUCKNOW: With a massive congregation of devotees at Mahakumbh and the incessant stream of pilgrims converging in Praygaraj, UP DGP Prashant Kumar issued a statement late on Monday night.
"Mahakumbh 2025 is witnessing the largest congregation of humanity in history. With over 40 crore pilgrims having already taken a sacred dip at the Sangam and millions arriving each day, managing the unprecedented movement of people and vehicles is a challenge," he said.
"No city, no administration, and no police force in the world has ever encountered this before,” he added.
The scale of the spiritual gathering has pushed Prayagraj's infrastructure beyond its maximum capacity, creating delays in traffic movement inevitable -- not due to mismanagement, but due to the sheer volume of devotees.
It may be recalled that the Opposition parties including the Samajwadi Party and its chief Akhilesh Yadav have been attacking the state dispensation over the traffic jams as a consequence of the massive rush of devotees in the Sangam city and the approaching Highways to Madhya Pradesh.
The DGP added that despite the existing challenges of ever-swelling crowd of devotees, the UP Police personnel—from constables on the ground to senior officers—were working tirelessly, ensuring smooth traffic flow, assisting pilgrims, and maintaining law and order with exceptional patience and skill.
“Managing this ocean of humanity is a Herculean task, and every police officer on duty is displaying unmatched dedication to make Mahakumbh-2025 a safe and seamless experience for all,” he said.
The strategic planning, real-time decision-making by the state leadership and relentless execution of the plan by UP Police officers were setting a global benchmark in managing large-scale human movements.
“Future generations will take this moment as a testament to discipline, determination, and duty,” said DGP Prashant Kumar.
Referring to the belligerence of the Opposition and other factors, DGP Kumar said that while criticism found its space in media and social media, it was heartening to see numerous video testimonials from pilgrims.
He added that they were from common devotees and prominent personalities, appreciating the seamless organization, security, and assistance provided by UP Police and the administration.
“Their words of gratitude reflect the massive effort and commitment behind the scenes, ensuring that Mahakumbh remains a sacred and well-organized spectacle despite the unimaginable scale,” he also said.
“Today (Monday) afternoon’s videos from Prayagraj city and the inter-district borders clearly show traffic moving almost smoothly once again, a reassuring sign of UP Police’s unyielding efforts," DGP added.
Instead of focusing solely on criticism, one must acknowledge the extraordinary perseverance of our police force. I salute every police officer -- the true unsung heroes -- who are turning the impossible into reality, every single day," DGP also added elevating the morale of the UP cops.
