Railways braces up for Amrit snan of Maha Kumbh, plans to run 350 trains during Maha Sivaratri to ferry pilgrims

Ministry of Railways prepares to run 350 trains from Prayagraj during Maha Sivaratri for Maha Kumbh pilgrims.

With over 63.36 crore pilgrims having taken a holy dip in the Maha Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj, and over 1.11 crore visiting the place on Tuesday (February 25, 2025), the Ministry of Railways is bracing to run 350 trains from Prayagraj during Maha Sivaratri to cater to swelling crowds.

The final Amrit Snan of Maha Kumbh 2025 is scheduled for February 26 and large number of pilgrims from various States, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bengal, and others, have gathered in Prayagraj to bathe at the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers, Railways spokesperson said.

Similarly, special arrangements have been made to run additional trains after the Maha Sivaratri snan, and extra rakes have been stationed near Prayagraj for use as needed. Initially, the Railway had planned for the operation of approximately 13,500 trains during the Maha Kumbh, and as of the 42nd day, more than 15,000 trains, including a large number of special trains, have already been run.

On Sunday and Monday, there was a high number of passengers at stations such as Patna, Danapur, Muzaffarpur, Gaya, Sasaram, Katihar, Khagaria, Saharsa, Jaynagar, and Darbhanga in Bihar. Similarly, there was an increased number of pilgrims at stations in Uttar Pradesh, such as Gorakhpur, Lucknow, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Kanpur, Gonda, Deen Dayal Upadhyay, and Jhansi, among others, the spokesperson further stated.

Stations in Madhya Pradesh like Chitrakoot, Jabalpur, Satna, and Khajuraho also saw high footfall, while a significant number of passengers also travelled from Jharkhand’s Dhanbad, Bokaro, Ranchi, Garhwa, and Medininagar stations to Prayagraj, Ministry of Railways has noted. 

“After the Amrit Snan, a large number of people are expected to return to their hometowns, which will likely lead to a heavy crowd at railway stations. Keeping this in mind, North Central Railway, North Eastern Railway, and Northern Railway have made extensive preparations, and all officials and staff have been directed to remain vigilant at their workstations,” the spokesperson said. 

On the occasion of Mouni Amavasya, over 360 trains were run, successfully transporting more than 20 lakh people to their destinations.