Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 29: In preparation for the massive influx of devotees for Mauni Amavasya, one of the key bathing days at the ongoing Mahakumbh Mela, Indian Railways has announced the operation of 360 trains from various stations across Prayagraj on Wednesday. Among these, 190 special trains will be running to accommodate the unprecedented number of pilgrims. Officials confirmed that no special trains will be canceled.
Satish Kumar, Chairman and CEO of the Railway Board, emphasized the extensive measures in place to manage the large crowd. He shared that earlier this month, Indian Railways operated between 132 to 135 special trains on January 14 and is now significantly increasing the number of services for the crucial Mauni Amavasya. With 360 trains, including 190 special ones, running from three zones—NR, NER, and NCR—Indian Railways aims to ensure seamless connectivity for the pilgrims. This will allow for a train to run every four minutes, providing uninterrupted travel for millions of people attending the event.
Meanwhile, the ongoing Mahakumbh Mela continues to witness a sea of devotees taking holy dips at the Triveni Sangam. By 6 AM on Wednesday, approximately 17.5 million people had already taken a dip, bringing the total number of pilgrims to 199.4 million by January 28, as reported by the Uttar Pradesh government.
In light of the massive crowd, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urged devotees to take a dip at the nearest ghat and avoid heading towards the Sangam Nose. He advised everyone to follow the administration’s instructions to help maintain order and avoid rumors. “Bathing is happening peacefully at all the ghats,” the CM assured.
The situation comes after a “stampede-like” incident in the early hours of Wednesday. However, Special Executive Officer Akanksha Rana clarified that the situation was not severe, and those injured were receiving medical care. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are closely monitoring the situation and have assured full support from the Centre.
As the crowd at their designated ghats began to subside, the Akharas, which had initially called off their Amrit Snan, announced they would proceed with the holy dip later in the day.