Prayagraj : Union Cabinet Minister for Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, has inaugurated several key initiatives & measures to enhance Indian Railways’ readiness for Kumbh fair 2025 in the Prayagraj region. These measures aim to provide safe, seamless, and technologically advanced services for millions of devotees & pilgrims.
Key Announcements and Inaugurations:
- Launch of the Kumbh War Room:
• A dedicated War Room at the Railway Board level has been inaugurated.
• The War Room will operate 24×7, with officials from Operations, Commercial, RPF, Mechanical, Engineering, and Electrical departments monitoring and coordinating activities.
•1,176 CCTV cameras has been installed at 9 stations in the Prayagraj region, will provide live feed for real-time monitoring.
• Monitoring structure will be
• Platform → Station → Divisional → District → Zonal → Railway Board.
• The War Room will facilitate effective coordination between district authorities and railway officials, ensuring immediate assistance and operational efficiency.
2. Multilingual Communication Systems:
• 12-regional language announcement system inaugurated at Prayagraj, Naini, Cheoki, and Subedarganj stations to assist pilgrims.
• Launch of a facilitation booklet in 22 languages, providing essential information for pilgrims.
Passenger Amenities in Prayagraj Region are Sequentially
- Rail Network Enhancements:
• A total of 13,000 trains will operate during the Kumbh period:
• 10,000 regular trains.
• 3,134 special trains (4.5 times more than the previous Kumbh):
• 1,869 short-distance trains.
• 706 long-distance trains.
• 559 ring trains.
• Freight trains have been diverted to Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFC) to ensure smooth passenger train operations.
• An investment of ₹5,000 crore has been made over the past three years for Kumbh-related projects.
- Expanded Passenger Facilities:
• 48 platforms and 21 Foot Over Bridges (FoBs).
• 23 permanent holding areas with a combined capacity of over 1 lakh pilgrims.
• 554 ticketing counters, including 151 mobile UTS counters.
• 21 ROBs/RUBs to enhance road and rail mobility.
• 12-language announcement systems implemented across all 9 key stations.
- Major Infrastructure Projects:
• Infrastructure development worth ₹3,700 crore includes:
• Banaras-Prayagraj doubling project (including the Ganga Bridge).
• Phaphamau-Janghai doubling project.
Pilgrim Numbers and Preparations:
• 40 crore pilgrims are expected to visit during Maha Kumbh 2025.
• 5 crore pilgrims are anticipated on Mauni Amavasya alone.
• To manage the crowd:
• 1,176 CCTV cameras for real-time monitoring.
• 23 holding areas with a capacity of over 1 lakh people.
• Special color-coded tickets and barcode-enabled UTS systems have been introduced for smoother operations.
These initiatives aim to ensure a safe, efficient, and technology-driven experience for pilgrims during Maha Kumbh 2025, underscoring Indian Railways’ commitment to cultural and infrastructural excellence.
