Varanasi: Before conducting a window trail inspection of the double line between Varanasi junction and Jhunsi railway station in Prayagraj, railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that 13,000 train services will be operated during the 45 days of Maha Kumbh 2025. Besides, a ring rail facility, comprising four trains, will be available between Prayagraj and Ayodhya.
After landing at LBSI airport here on Sunday morning, Vaishnaw reached Varanasi Junction (Cantt railway station) to conduct window trail inspection of the doubling of lines between Varanasi and Jhunsi. Talking to reporters before boarding his train, Vaishnaw said for one of the greatest festivals of Indian culture -- the Maha Kumbh 2025 – the Indian railways has been maintaining a proper coordination between the northern railway, north central railway and north eastern railway for the last two-and-a-half-year.
To manage the huge turnout of devotees who will visit Prayagraj during the Maha Kumbh as well as Kashi and Ayodhya, the railway is introducing four ring rail services between Ayodhya and Prayagraj, while 13,000 train services will be operated during the 45 days of the Maha Kumbh, the railway minister said. Large holding areas have also been created where passengers can rest and wait for their trains, Vaishnaw said, adding that several important projects launched in view of Maha Kumbh have been completed. These include new bridges, voting and holding areas, doubling of tracks, station redevelopment and yard improvement works. The central and state govts are working together to ensure the smooth conduct of this grand festival, he said, adding the central govt has also provided special grants to ensure that devotees receive all necessary facilities.
Before the arrival of Vaishnaw on Sunday, chairman and CEO of the Railway Board Satish Kumar along with NER general manager Soumya Mathur on Saturday also inspected the ongoing construction of a bridge over the Ganga between Jhunsi and Prayagraj Rambagh and development works at Prayagraj Rambagh and Jhunsi stations aimed at improving facilities for the festival.
This significant bridge consists of 24 girders with a span of 76.2 metres each and is approximately two-km long. The construction work was completed and girder launching at both ends through ducts was finished. The formation work on the Jhunsi-Prayagraj rail section is 100% complete.
Expressing satisfaction over the ongoing works, they instructed officers concerned to complete the remaining development works on time with quality and appropriate standards. They assessed the safety, speed and operational arrangements of all stations and rail paths in the fair area, including Prayagraj Rambagh and Jhunsi as well as the safety, security and other facilities for passengers, including reservation centers, unreserved ticket counters, temporary food and water vending stalls, waiting rooms, additional entry and exit routes, permanent and temporary platforms, passenger sheds, RCC benches, foot overbridges, temporary waiting rooms, CCTV surveillance, boundary walls and a control room for crowd management.
They also inspected the newly constructed circulating area at Jhunsi station, including the passenger waiting room, boundary wall, high mast light, temporary toilets, and approach road for night arrival and departure. They also sought information on the facilities to be provided to passengers during the Kumbh Mela, including alternative arrangements and designated locations for these facilities.
Senior railway officials, including ED/Railway Board Sanjeev Kumar, chief administrative officer construction Abhay Kumar Gupta, divisional railway manager NER Varanasi Vineet Kumar Srivastava, and MD (RVNL) Pradeep Gaur were present.