40 Crore Pilgrims Expected at Kumbh Mela 2025: Railways Rolls Out Massive 1,225 Special Trains and Rs 900 Crore Plan!

Prayagraj(The Uttam Hindu):Indian Railways has unveiled an extensive plan for the 2025 Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, where an estimated 40 crore pilgrims are expected to attend. The mega event will take place from January 13 to February 26, 2025. To accommodate the massive influx of pilgrims, Railways will run 1,225 special trains, a staggering 177% increase from the 2019 Ardh Kumbh Mela when 533 small-route trains and 161 long-distance reserve trains were deployed.

Among the 1,225 special trains, 825 will serve short routes, while 400 will be reserved for long-distance travel. In addition to these, fast MEMU services will be introduced to facilitate travel to important religious destinations such as Ayodhya, Varanasi, and Rambagh, with convenient stops at key stations. For pilgrims heading to Chitrakoot, a special ring rail service will be operational, covering Jhansi, Banda, Chitrakoot, and other significant locations.

Railways is also preparing for seamless ticket distribution with 542 ticketing points spread across various stations and the Mela area, capable of handling the distribution of 9.76 lakh tickets daily. To enhance security, 651 additional CCTV cameras will be installed, including 100 with AI-based facial recognition systems to identify miscreants and antisocial elements.

To ensure smooth operations, Indian Railways is investing over ₹900 crore in infrastructure upgrades. This includes ₹494.90 crore for improving passenger facilities and ₹438.72 crore for constructing road overbridges and underbridges. The work will also involve the construction of new station buildings and the installation of CCTV systems. A dedicated passenger enclosure, capable of accommodating 4,000 passengers, will be established at Prayagraj Junction, joining the existing four enclosures.

A toll-free helpline (1800-4199-139) and a Kumbh 2025 mobile app, backed by a 24×7 call center, will provide assistance to pilgrims throughout the event. With these extensive measures in place, Indian Railways is poised to handle one of the largest gatherings in the world and ensure a smooth and safe Kumbh Mela experience for millions.