With Mauni Amavasya just days away, the Prayagraj Railway Division has rolled out extensive plans to run over 150 special mela trains to accommodate the large influx of devotees expected for the occasion, setting a new record.
These special trains will be operated direction-wise from all nine stations in Prayagraj, ensuring smooth travel for the devotees. In addition to running special trains, the division has also implemented colour-coded ticketing and shelter arrangements to ensure a smooth experience for passengers.
Senior Public Relations Officer of Prayagraj Railway Division, Amit Malviya, said that more than 150 fair special trains would be operated on Mauni Amavasya, the majority of which would run from Prayagraj Junction. Special trains would also be operated from other stations in the division, along with regular trains running on their scheduled times, he added.
With these plans, the Prayagraj Railway Division aims to run a train approximately every four minutes on Mauni Amavasya.
The Maha Kumbh Mela Authority anticipates that over 10 crore devotees will bathe in the Sangam on Mauni Amavasya, with 10-20 per cent of them expected travelling by train.
On the first Amrit Snan festival of the Maha Kumbh, which took place on Makar Sankranti, over 3.5 crore devotees bathed at the holy Sangam, surpassing expectations. So far, more than nine crore devotees have taken the holy dip in Maha Kumbh.