North Central Railway all set for Maha Kumbh, to run over 300 trains

The North Central Railway (NCR) appears fully prepared to manage the massive influx of pilgrims for the Maha Kumbh, with plans to operate over 300 trains, including 80 special services, to ensure efficient transportation for devotees arriving in Prayagraj, an NCR official said.

Hours ahead of the commencement of the Maha Kumbh, the Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of NCR, Shashi Kant Tripathi, told ANI that the railway authorities have completed all necessary preparations, including crowd management, ticket booking counters, train services, and security arrangements.

Providing details about train services, the CPRO said that North Central Railways will also introduce unreserved short-distance regular trains starting tomorrow.

Shashi Kant Tripathi said, "We began our preparations for the Maha Kumbh two years ago. Now, our preparations have reached a level where we can confidently welcome all our passengers. Our long-distance special trains commenced services on January 1, including 50 operations. Our ring rail services started on January 10, and unreserved short-distance regular trains will begin tomorrow, coinciding with the first day of the Maha Kumbh."

He added, "More than 80 Mela Special Trains will operate tomorrow, bringing the total number of trains in service to around 300. These will facilitate the movement of passengers to their destinations. Since Makar Sankranti is the day after tomorrow, we have also started inward special train services."

The railway official noted that staff from across the country had been deployed in Prayagraj to support the Kumbh operations, with assistance from Indian Railways' regional departments.

"Around 4,000 personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), 10,000 from the Government Railway Police (GRP), and officials from various other departments have been stationed in Prayagraj," Tripathi said.

He explained, "If we look at our plan for tomorrow, we are equipped to evacuate around 4-5 lakh people from Prayagraj if they wish to return to their destinations. To achieve this, staff from different zonal railways, as well as additional support from Indian Railways, have been deployed. We have loco pilots, guards, controllers, and personnel from the departments of commerce and tourism working to ensure smooth operations."

Discussing crowd management measures, Tripathi said authorities had implemented several restrictions, including dedicated entry and exit points and operational ticket counters in the Mela area.

"To manage the crowds effectively, we have imposed some restrictions. Citizens can now enter the station from the city side (Leader Road) and exit from the Civil Lines side, ensuring unidirectional movement and avoiding criss-crossing. Ticket counters and Yatri Ashray Sheds in the Mela area are operational to assist passengers. Our main objective is to ensure pilgrims reach their destinations with ease and simplicity," he said.

To address language barriers, the NCR has introduced multilingual announcements, toll-free numbers, and information screens, the CPRO stated.

"We have implemented multilingual announcements and ensured that our toll-free numbers and information screens are multilingual. Additionally, our staff, who have been trained and deployed from various parts of the country, will guide pilgrims in their native languages," Tripathi added.

Earlier, on January 2, Dilip Kumar, Executive Director of Information and Publicity of the Railway Board, said that railways would run around 13,000 trains during the Kumbh Mela to accommodate the large number of visitors.

"The railways are working with the slogan 'Divya Kumbh, Bhavya Kumbh, Digital Maha Kumbh.' Around 40 crore people are expected to attend. We have planned to operate 13,000 trains during the Kumbh," Kumar said.

To ensure smooth transportation for millions of devotees, railway stations near key Kumbh Mela venues have seen significant improvements in passenger facilities.

"Passenger facilities at prominent stations near the Kumbh have been significantly enhanced. Passenger amenities have been improved, and every measure is being taken to provide better services," Kumar assured.

The Maha Kumbh, celebrated once every 12 years, is expected to draw over 45 crore devotees. During the event, pilgrims gather at the Sangam--the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati (now extinct)--to take a holy dip.

The Maha Kumbh will conclude on February 26, with major bathing rituals (Shahi Snan) scheduled on January 14 (Makar Sankranti), January 29 (Mauni Amavasya), and February 3 (Basant Panchami).