The Impressive TimesPrayagraj :The final Amrit Snan of Mahakumbh 2025 is scheduled for February 26. A large number of pilgrims from various states, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bengal, and others, have gathered in Prayagraj to bathe at the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers. On Sunday and Monday, there was a high number of passengers at stations such as Patna, Danapur, Muzaffarpur, Gaya, Sasaram, Katihar, Khagaria, Saharsa, Jaynagar, and Darbhanga in Bihar. Similarly, there was an increased number of pilgrims at stations in Uttar Pradesh, such as Gorakhpur, Lucknow, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Kanpur, Gonda, Deen Dayal Upadhyay, and Jhansi, among others. Stations in Madhya Pradesh like Chitrakoot, Jabalpur, Satna, and Khajuraho also saw high footfall, while a significant number of passengers also travelled from Jharkhand’s Dhanbad, Bokaro, Ranchi, Garhwa, and Medininagar stations to Prayagraj.
After the Amrit Snan, a large number of people are expected to return to their hometowns, which will likely lead to a heavy crowd at railway stations. Keeping this in mind, North Central Railway, North Eastern Railway, and Northern Railway have made extensive preparations, and all officials and staff have been directed to remain vigilant at their workstations. On the occasion of Mouni Amavasya, over 360 trains were run, successfully transporting more than 20 lakh people to their destinations. Similarly, special arrangements have been made to run additional trains after the Maha Shivaratri Snan, and extra rakes have been stationed near Prayagraj for use as needed. Initially, the railway had planned for the operation of approximately 13,500 trains during the Mahakumbh, and as of the 42nd day, more than 15,000 trains, including a large number of special trains, have already been run. The entire railway operation is being closely monitored by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. The Chairman and CEO of the Railway Board, Satish Kumar, is also actively involved in monitoring the train operations. The General Managers of the three zonal railways are working with their teams to strengthen railway arrangements. Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has instructed the Chairman of Railway Board and General Managers of All Zonal Railways to ensure complete care of the Mahakumbh passengers and, if necessary, run additional special trains.
In light of the en masse pilgrims expected on Maha Shivaratri, the railway administration has made arrangements for the convenience of passengers, including security, shelters, easy ticketing apart from running a large number of trains. Over 1,500 commercial department staff and 3,000 Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel have been deployed at all stations in Prayagraj region. Additionally, 29 squads of Railway Protection Special Force, 2 squads of Women Railway Protection Special Force, 22 dog squads, and 2 bomb disposal squads have been stationed in Prayagraj. Teams from Scouts & Guides, Civil Defense, and other departments are working to provide better travel facilities to the pilgrims.
To ensure a smooth journey for pilgrims, internal movement plans have been implemented at all stations in the Prayagraj region, and pilgrims have been sent to their destinations via special trains. At Prayagraj Junction, passengers were directed to o specific shelters based on their destinations and then taken by special trains to their respective locations. When the number of passengers increased, the railway implemented its emergency plan by holding passengers at Khusro Bagh and passengers were directed to enter the station safely through passenger shelters before boarding the trains. All activities were monitored by senior officials of the Prayagraj Division at the control tower at Prayagraj Junction, and timely decisions were made to avoid any disruptions in train operations and ensure the safe departure of pilgrims in special trains.
Medical facilities were also available at various stations, where serious cases of pilgrims were treated in observation rooms. During the Mahakumbh 2025, many pilgrims made use of the digital services offered by the railway. Millions of passengers accessed the website and the Kumbh app for their travel needs.
In the final weekend of Mahakumbh, the railway continued to manage regular and special trains at good fettle. On Sunday, the railway successfully operated 335 trains, transporting over 16 lakh people to their destinations.
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