At crowded Sangam, devotees opt ‘illegal’ motorcycle services to commute

Since the business operates illegally, there are no fixed rates or records, allowing motorcyclists to charge at their discretion. With no monitoring by the police or administration, the number of motorcyclists continues to grow daily. Moreover, since pilgrims are benefiting from this unauthorised service, they are not raising any complaints and continue to use it. Motorcycles carry two pilgrims per trip, often exceeding the legal limit. Each pilgrim is charged between Rs 500 and Rs 1,500 per ride

Police say that since both motorcyclists and pilgrims benefit from the arrangement, no complaints are filed and any disputes are settled between them.

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Prayagraj, Shailendra Singh Parihar, pointed out that action is taken if they violate traffic rules or if any complaints are received.

Sources said that with a large police force engaged in crowd management, these motorcyclists easily evade detection.

The 45-day Maha Kumbh began on January 13, with the number of visitors increasing each day. According to records, 1.47 crore pilgrims visited the Kumbh on Sunday, bringing the total number of devotees who have taken the holy snan to 43.57 crore. By Monday at 6 pm, the total visitor count had reached one crore.

“The motorcycle service started two days after the first snan (January 13) and saw a boom during the second snan. Pilgrim visits slowed for two days after the stampede on the morning of January 29, but in the past four days, the rush has surged again. Many pilgrims took our phone numbers and shared them with others coming to Prayagraj,” said a motorcyclist who ferries pilgrims from parking lots to outside Kumbh mela.

Most of these motorcyclists, who claim to be students, are local residents, with many living on the outskirts of the city. Some also come from neighboring districts, seizing the opportunity to earn money. Interestingly, no one checks the identity of the motorcyclists before hiring them to reach the Kumbh. These motorcycles operate on the roads around the clock.

They are often seen violating traffic rules, carrying triple riders, and negotiating fares. In the morning hours, some middle-aged men have also started offering rides within Prayagraj, transporting pilgrims and local residents from one place to another.

To understand how this business began, The Indian Express spoke to several motorcyclists. Initially, they gave rides to pilgrims while commuting themselves, but as the crowd grew and people started offering money, they began charging for the service. With no fixed rates, fares vary depending on the rising influx of pilgrims.

If a policeman attempts to take action against a motorcyclist earning money, the riders usually claim they are offering free service to help pilgrims. The pillion riders, in turn, do not object and often support this stand.

“We used to brief pilgrims on what to tell the police, but now that this business has become common, every policeman knows the drill. Each motorcyclist carries two passengers at a time,” said a 32-year-old private teacher.

Prayagraj police have established parking facilities along seven routes connecting the city to neighboring districts, including Pratapgarh, Kaushambi, Mirzapur, Bhadohi and Chitrakoot.