With passenger traffic at Hardiwar station expected to go up from 11 March, the Northern Railways is making preparations to manage the crowd while following Covid-19 precautionary guidelines such as physical distancing.
The railways has built four different colour-coded enclosures for passengers to book tickets to various destinations.
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"There might be a surge in passengers coming to Haridwar on 11 March. In view of this, we have put four colour-coded enclosures based on the passenger's destination at Haridwar station. We have made reserved ticket windows inside enclosures," said a senior divisional commercial manager of Northern Railways.
Prior to the Kumbh Mela, 11 March will mark the first 'shahi snan', while the second will be on 12 April third on 14 April. The last festive bath of Mahakumbh 2021 will be on 27 April.
Centralised control rooms
Among other measures, the railways has also decided to set up a centralised control room at Haridwar railway station ahead of the Kumbh Mela.
"A centralised control room set up at Haridwar railway station ahead of Kumbh Mela 2021. All the nearby railway stations have been connected through CCTV, with their feed being streamed at this control room. A telephone line has also been set up at the centre," the Kumbh Mela Administration had earlier said.
The preparations are underway for Kumbh Mela 2021 to be held from 1st to 30th April in Haridwar.
The Uttarakhand government has decided to limit the Kumbh this year to 30 days due to pandemic.
Officers in charge of the Kumbh Mela said that those who attend the religious congregation should do prior registration at a portal and should have a Co-19 negative report.
Kumbh Mela is not only a religious pilgrimage, but one of the largest mass gatherings at one place. It is celebrated four times over a course of 12 years and spans four locations namely Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik. The Maha Kumbh is celebrated in a cycle of 12 years at four river-bank pilgrimage sites across India.
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