Preparations are underway for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, considered to be one of the world’s biggest religious congregations. To ease it, Indian Railways is warming up its machinery. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has already rung in the bell to make more than 13,000 trains chug for the movement of nearly two crore passengers at key places – Prayagraj, Ayodhya and the holy city of Varanasi. This movement is also smooth enough because the government has invested in rail infrastructure.
Maha Kumbh 2025 to witness massive train operations
Maha Kumbh Mela is one such occasion when it sees an entry of millions of pilgrims, and it is supposed to be like this in the year 2025 also. Indian Railways would be putting over 13,000 trains into work, out of which more than 3,000 trains would be special ones planned specifically for such a huge crowd of people. This would cover devotees going to Prayagraj, Varanasi, and Ayodhya and regular commuters during the event.
Adequate facilities will be provided for these trains to cater to the vast number of passengers traveling. This way, the pilgrims could easily reach their destination. Vaishnaw pointed out that the transport service was dedicated to safe, reliable, and timely service during the religious function.
Ring Rail Services Passenger Flow Management
The Indian Railways would introduce four ring rail services between Prayagraj and Ayodhya to decongest and make a smoother pilgrimage experience for people. It would help in managing the sheer volume of passengers, decreasing travel time, and thus making journeys between major Kumbh destinations easier.
Ring rail services were expected to considerably alleviate pressure on the regular train services while further enhancing access for the traveler.
Infrastructure Investment to Tackle Increased Passenger Inflow
Heavy investment worth Rs 3,700 crore has been made in developing railway infrastructure at Prayagraj as the mega Maha Kumbh had been at the corner, and other new construction projects with the enhancement of the present infrastructure.
Major infrastructural development
23 New Passenger Holding Areas: Sufficient space for waiting by pilgrims during peak hours and decongest the station at this hour.
48 Platforms New and upgraded platforms have been installed ensuring ease of boarding and de-boarding.
21 Foot Over Bridges (FOBs) Improved pedestrian movement across the station for safety and accessibility.
554 Ticket Vending Kiosks and Counters: To reduce the waitings hours, the ticket counter numbers have been enhanced as part of heavy rush during advance ticket reservations.
Crucial Railway Projects Under Preparation for Maha Kumbh
Besides the passenger infrastructure developed, a number of infrastructures of critical nature have also undertaken to ensure smooth flow at the railway network in connection with Maha Kumbh 2025. These include:
New Bridges: Along with the one on the Ganga River linking Jhusi with Prayagraj Junction, new bridges have also been developed. These reduce the traffic burden and allow for seamless communication between the major stations.
Station Redevelopment: Most of the major stations, including Jhusi railway station, have been redone to accommodate the passenger load. The new modern station has better amenities and infrastructure to handle crowds during such events.
Increase in Track Doubling and Yard Improvements; a move to smooth out train movements, reduce congestion, and achieve the goal of smooth operations during rush hours when Kumbh Mela is witnessed.
Special Facilities for Pilgrims
Besides the infrastructure designed, several facilities have been created to ensure comfortable stay for the pilgrims. Huge holding areas have been constructed where people can rest and wait for their trains. These will be very crucial in managing the large volume of people and ensuring that they are well taken care of during their wait times.
The railway has also been engaged in quality upgradation work and, above all, cleanliness, sanitation, and overall passenger experience during both journeys incoming and outgoing from the Kumbh Mela sites.
Conclusion
It will be the efforts of Indian Railways to improve infrastructure in Prayagraj and its surrounding areas that will really make a difference to a smooth and safe Maha Kumbh Mela in 2025. The government looks forward to seeing that millions of pilgrims who visit the event will commute easily as it has over 13,000 trains that it runs, it’s launching new ring rail services, and investing in upgrading stations and other facilities. With this total infrastructural up-gradation, there will be absolutely hassle-free and secure Kumbh Mela for all attendees.
Refer:
TOI, Link to article
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