Maha Kumbh: Railway to operate three special trains between Katra-Prayagraj

Udhampur: Ahead of the commencement of the Maha Kumbh, Union Minister and MP from Udhampur Jitendra Singh informed that railway authorities have planned three special trains to and fro Katra-Prayagraj for the convenience of those attending the religious event.
The first special train has been finalised for January 24 which will leave Katra Shri Mata Vaishno Devi railway station for Prayagraj and return from Prayagraj to Katra on January 26.
In a post on X Singh wrote, "Pleased to share that Railway Authorities have planned 3 Special Trains to and fro #Katra-Prayagraj for convenience of those attending the #Mahakumbh. First Special Train has been finalised for 24/01/2025 which will leave Katra Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Railway Station for Prayagraj and return from #Prayagraj to Katra on 26/01/2025. The exact timings are as follow..."
"From SVDK dep 03:50 Hrs PRYJ, arrival 05:45 Hrs on 25.1.2025; Return PRYJ 03:15 Hrs on 26.01.2025, SVDK arrival 05:05 Hrs on 27.01.2025. The schedule of the next two trains will be intimated in course of time," added the post.
Apart from that 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.
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."
Tripathi said that when discussing crowd management measures, 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 crisscrossing.
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.