Railways Ready for Maha Kumbh with 13,000 Trains, New Infrastructure

Rail Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that Indian Railways will run about 13,000 trains for the upcoming Maha Kumbh event. Over 1.5 crore passengers are expected, and significant infrastructure developments have been made, including new bridges and station expansions. The Indian Railways invested over Rs 5,000 crore in preparations.

Rail Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has confirmed that Indian Railways will operate approximately 13,000 trains, including 3,000 special ones, to accommodate the large influx of devotees during the Maha Kumbh. The event begins on January 13 and concludes on February 26, spanning significant religious dates.

Vaishnaw reviewed preparations in Prayagraj, where a new bridge across the Ganga and enhancements at five key stations have been completed, including doubling tracks and installing extra entrances. The use of mobile Unreserved Ticket System (UTS) and real-time control rooms will streamline operations.

Preparation efforts included construction of over 23 holding areas and 21 foot overbridges, alongside 554 ticket kiosks. The significant investment of over Rs 5,000 crore signifies the strategic importance of Maha Kumbh planning, modelled on prior experiences with events like the Rath Yatra.

(With inputs from agencies.)