Maha Kumbh 2025: Indian Railways Deploys 3,000+ Special Trains, Multilingual Help, And Massive Infrastructure Upgrades

As the auspicious festival of Maha Kumbh begins with Paush Purnima, Indian Railways has unveiled an extensive plan to ensure a seamless travel experience for the expected 40 crore pilgrims converging in Prayagraj.

This year’s initiatives surpass those of the 2019 Ardh Kumbh, with over 3,000 special trains and advanced infrastructural upgrades to accommodate the world’s largest religious gathering.

Advanced Monitoring and Multilingual Assistance

Indian Railways has installed 1,176 CCTV cameras across nine key stations in the Prayagraj region under North Central Railways (NCR) to provide live feeds for real-time monitoring.

Enhancing accessibility, a 12-language announcement system has been introduced at Prayagraj, Naini, Cheoki, and Subedarganj stations. Additionally, a 22-language booklet is available at these stations to assist pilgrims from diverse linguistic backgrounds.

Expanding Train Services for Millions

A total of 10,000 trains, including 3,134 special services, have been deployed to cater to the influx of devotees. These comprise 1,869 short-distance trains, 706 long-distance trains, and 559 ring trains.

“Freight trains have been diverted to Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFC) to ensure smooth passenger train operations. An investment of Rs. 5,000 crore has been made over the past three years for Kumbh-related projects,” a senior Railway Ministry official said.

Enhanced Infrastructure to Manage Crowds

Significant infrastructural upgrades have been made, including the development of 48 platforms, 21 Foot Over Bridges (FoBs), 23 permanent holding areas capable of accommodating over 1 lakh pilgrims, and 554 ticketing counters, of which 151 are mobile Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) counters.

Moreover, 21 Road Over Bridges (ROBs) and Road Under Bridges (RUBs) have been added to enhance road and rail mobility.

Key Projects to Boost Connectivity

The Ministry of Railways has also completed major infrastructure projects, such as the Banaras-Prayagraj doubling project (including the Ganga Bridge) and the Phaphamau-Janghai doubling project, costing Rs. 3,700 crore.

“The key sections connecting to the Sangam and adjoining areas have been completed, with work on other sections ongoing,” an official stated.

Unprecedented Preparations for Peak Days

With 5 crore pilgrims expected on Mauni Amavasya alone on January 29, Indian Railways is leaving no stone unturned to ensure safe and efficient travel during Maha Kumbh 2025. The comprehensive measures reflect its commitment to facilitating the spiritual journeys of millions.