The Maha Kumbh 2025, billed as the grandest spiritual gathering of the century has once again been overshadowed by tragedy. A stampede at New Delhi Railway Station claimed at least 18 lives, including 11 women and four children as an unprecedented rush of passengers attempted to board special trains for Prayagraj. The chaos caused by delayed trains and an unregulated influx of devotees, mirrors the logistical failures that have plagued this Kumbh from the beginning.

Earlier, during Mauni Amavasya, a sacred bathing day, another stampede in Prayagraj had exposed the struggles of managing one of the world`s largest religious congregations. Despite these warning signs, crowd control measures have remained inadequate and the pressure on transport systems has only increased as the event nears its conclusion on February 26.

A Once-in-a-Lifetime opportunity fuels the surge

The sheer magnitude of Maha Kumbh 2025 has created a spiritual fervour unlike any before. The event has been aggressively promoted as a celestial opportunity that comes once in 144 years, compelling people from every social and economic background to make the journey. Whether poor or wealthy, commoner or politician, businessman or bureaucrat, everyone wants to experience the divine boon of bathing in the holy Sangam. 

The result? An unprecedented influx of devotees that even the most well-planned administration would struggle to manage.

With lakhs arriving daily, the strain on infrastructure has reached a breaking point. Every possible mode of transport—trains, buses, private vehicles and even flights—has been overwhelmed. But despite these challenges, people refuse to turn back, determined not to miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The deep-rooted faith in the spiritual significance of the Kumbh dip has led to a surge that no government agency was truly prepared for.

The mismanagement of crowd movement, especially at railway stations, major entry points and ghats, has led to serious disruptions and safety hazards. 

The New Delhi railway tragedy is a glaring example—two delayed trains resulted in thousands of passengers rushing to secure seats, leading to a deadly stampede. In Bihar’s Madhubani, just days earlier, frustrated passengers had broken train windows due to overcrowding. The unregulated flow of pilgrims, combined with the government’s emphasis on record-breaking attendance, has exposed the need for stricter crowd control mechanisms.

Political impact of tragedy

The political implications of these failures will reverberate soon. Yogi Adityanath had positioned Maha Kumbh as the defining event of his governance, a demonstration of his administrative efficiency, religious commitment and organizational skills. However, the series of failures—from fires in the tent city to multiple stampedes and transport chaos—has tarnished this image. The Opposition will not miss the opportunity to highlight these failures and use them as a weapon against the BJP in upcoming state elections.

The immediate impact of the tragedy will be felt in Bihar’s assembly elections later this year, where the Opposition may use these incidents to challenge BJP’s governance credentials. While the Delhi Assembly elections have just concluded, the ripple effect of these failures could influence public perception in Uttar Pradesh too, where Yogi Adityanath’s handling of the event will be closely scrutinized.

Given the repeated lapses, it is clear that the government must rethink its strategy for organizing such large-scale events. One possible solution is to regulate the daily entry of devotees into the Maha Kumbh area based on the estimated capacity of transport networks, ghats, and accommodations.

A pre-registration system could allow authorities to limit the number of pilgrims permitted entry on a given day, ensuring smoother movement and better safety management.

Railways and transport authorities must coordinate better to ensure adequate trains and buses, timely departures, and dedicated routes for pilgrims.

VIP movement, which often leads to massive blockages and disruptions, should be strategically planned to avoid interfering with the flow of general devotees.

The silence of religious leaders in the wake of these tragedies has also raised concerns. Saints and spiritual heads who guide millions of devotees have not demanded better safety measures or raised concerns over poor crowd regulation. Their involvement in ensuring a more structured, safe pilgrimage could make a huge difference. Instead, the narrative has largely focused on the religious significance of Maha Kumbh, while logistical issues and tragedies have been downplayed.

Will anything change?

Despite the outcry, India has a short memory when it comes to administrative failures. The official statements of regret will be made, compensation will be announced, inquiries will be ordered and life will move on. By the time the next religious congregation arrives, the same mistakes will likely be repeated.

The Maha Kumbh, which should have been a moment of collective spiritual upliftment, has instead become a symbol of governance failures, misplaced priorities and the dangers of turning faith into a political tool. Whether the government learns from these tragedies or allows history to repeat itself remains to be seen. But for the families of those who lost their lives, the Kumbh’s promise of salvation has only brought grief and unanswered questions.

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