All Eight Stations in Prayagraj Fully Operational
Prayagraj: Indian Railways is working at a war footing to ensure smooth travel for pilgrims arriving for and departing from Mahakumbh 2025. All eight stations in the Prayagraj region, including Prayagraj Junction, are fully operational. On Sunday, the railways ran 330 trains, and by 3 PM today, 201 trains had already been operated to manage the continuous influx of devotees.
Union Railway Minister and Railway Board Chairman reviewed the current crowd situation and railway preparations on February 12, 2025, ahead of the upcoming sacred Maghi Purnima bathing ritual. Despite the heavy crowd, Indian Railways is making dedicated efforts to facilitate the movement of devotees.
Refuting an earlier incorrect media report, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the nation through media that around 12.5 lakh passengers were transported home from eight different railway stations in Prayagraj. The Indian Railways is ensuring that special and regular trains run at an interval slightly above four minutes to prevent unnecessary waiting for devotees after their holy dip.
Ahead of the next auspicious Maghi Purnima bath, each train rake is serving an average of 3,780 passengers per trip, highlighting the unwavering crowd movement. Reviewing the situation with zonal and divisional railway officials, Railway Board Chairman and CEO Satish Kumar emphasized the need to bring these efficient efforts to media attention. He confirmed that besides Prayagraj Junction, seven other stations – Prayagraj Chheoki, Naini, Subedarganj, Prayag, Phaphamau, Prayagraj Rambagh, and Jhusi – are fully functional and operating at maximum capacity.
While regular and special trains continue to operate seamlessly, closing Prayagraj Sangam station two days before and after each Amrit Snan remains a standard procedure based on district administration advice. Satish Kumar reiterated that this practice was followed during previous sacred bathing events. He urged railway PR offices and media to spread awareness, especially to assist pilgrims facing potential traffic congestion while reaching Mahakumbh city.
By 3 PM today, more than 9 lakh pilgrims had already departed from these eight stations via over 201 trains. Earlier in the day, CRB and CEO Satish Kumar briefed Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in the Rail Bhawan war room, where real-time CCTV footage of all railway stations was being monitored. They reviewed crowd management and discussed further preparations for Maghi Purnima.
Later, the Railway Board Chairman urged the public to ignore misleading reports about affected services at Prayagraj Junction, stating that factual verification could be done at any of the eight active railway stations. He reaffirmed that the uninterrupted operation of 330 trains per day during Mahakumbh underscores Indian Railways’ steadfast commitment to the nation. The figure is similar to the 360 trains operated during the peak crowd influx on Mauni Amavasya.
Passengers are advised to refer to official railway sources for updated information and avoid misleading reports.
