Rising Road Accidents Claim More Lives Than Kumbh Stampede
Over the past 10 days, road accidents have claimed more Kumbh pilgrims’ lives than the January 29 stampede, underscoring the dangers posed by surging traffic on India’s highways. Official figures report 49 deaths and 82 injuries across 16 accidents in Uttar Pradesh between February 7 and 16, surpassing the government’s official stampede toll of 30. Unofficial sources suggest the actual number of stampede casualties may be higher.
Police sources attribute the high accident toll to driver fatigue, as transporters have been ferrying pilgrims non-stop without adequate rest. Many accidents involved overcrowded vehicles, significantly increasing casualties. The lack of proper arrangements for ordinary pilgrims—blamed on a prevailing VIP culture—has further aggravated the crisis. Pilgrims face arduous journeys, spending up to eight hours reaching the Mahakumbh after arriving at Allahabad’s borders, where thousands of vehicles have been stranded since the Mela began on January 14.
Adding to their hardships, hotel prices in Allahabad have soared from ₹2,000-3,000 per night to between ₹5,000 and ₹80,000, making accommodation unaffordable for many. As a result, large numbers of pilgrims are forced to stay at railway stations, causing overcrowding and chaos. This has heightened authorities' concerns, especially following a recent stampede at a Delhi railway station. Eyewitnesses report that Prayagraj Junction, Naini, and Jhusi stations are so packed that there is no space for more passengers.
Among the major accidents reported:
1. On February 16, a minibus rammed a parked bus on the Purvanchal Expressway in Barabanki, killing four and injuring 20.
- A bus collided with a car near the same spot, claiming three lives the same afternoon.
- A bus fire on Agra-Lucknow Expressway on February 15 resulted in one death and 24 injuries.
- A Bolero-bus crash on Prayagraj-Mirzapur Highway on February 14 killed and 10 injured .
- A tempo-truck collision in Kushinagar on February 13 left four pilgrims dead.
- Various accidents in Fatehpur, Sonbhadra, Etawah, and Aligarh between February 7-10 led to multiple fatalities and injuries.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav attributed these road accidents to mismanagement at Mahakumbh. With pilgrims still arriving in large numbers, authorities face mounting challenges in preventing further tragedies.
