Northern Central Railway has set a new milestone by running 150 special trains to facilitate pilgrims traveling to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh Mela. The Chief Public Relations Officer, Shashikant Tripathi, revealed that preparations for MahaKumbh2025 began with the commencement of special trains on 1 January. Ring-rail services connecting Varanasi, Ayodhya, and Chitrakoot were launched on 10 January. The highlight came on 14 January when NCR operated a record 150 special trains, including 101 from Prayagraj, Naini, Chheoki, and Subedarganj Junction.
Speaking to ANI, Tripathi expressed, "We started our long-distance Mela special trains from 1 January. On 10 January, we commenced our ring-rail services, primarily covering Varanasi, Ayodhya, and Chitrakoot. From 13 January, short-distance Mela special trains were introduced. In a single day on 14 January, we operated a total of 150 special Mela trains from NCR stations."
Tripathi emphasized the focus on cleanliness initiatives during the Maha Kumbh Mela. He mentioned, "To raise awareness about cleanliness, we conducted street plays at stations, organized cleanliness rallies, and deployed over 1,000 sanitation workers at stations and 18,000 workers for coach cleaning. Single-use plastic has been completely banned on our premises."
Further detailing the healthcare efforts, Tripathi stated, "From 11 January to 14 January, we provided medical assistance to over 11,000 individuals on railway premises, including 2,500 critical cases. The Uttar Pradesh government has now shifted its attention to preparing for the upcoming Amrit Snan on Mauni Amavasya scheduled for January 29."
Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh and Uttar Pradesh DGP Prashant Kumar recently visited the Mahakumbh area to oversee preparations. The Maha Kumbh, which commenced on January 13, extends until February 26, with key bathing dates on January 29, February 3, February 12, and February 26.
