As the preparations for the grand Maha Kumbh 2025 gather pace, the Indian Railways is taking proactive steps to provide a seamless and comfortable experience for the millions of devotees and visitors expected to attend the event.
One of the key measures being put in place is to ensure that food stalls at railway stations maintain high standards of hygiene and offer food at prescribed rates. This will ensure that the experience for pilgrims is not only spiritually fulfilling but also physically comfortable.
The Prayagraj division of the Railways has issued clear instructions to all catering stall license holders in the area. They are required to adhere to the prescribed rates for food items and ensure the cleanliness of their stalls.
This includes maintaining proper hygiene in food preparation, storage, and serving areas. The authorities have also emphasised that food stalls must keep their goods in order, with staff members wearing proper uniforms, displaying name plates, and engaging in polite behaviour towards the devotees.
These measures are part of a broader effort to prepare for the expected influx of pilgrims and tourists from all over India and beyond. Maha Kumbh, being one of the largest spiritual gatherings in the world, will see millions of visitors coming to Prayagraj for darshan and bathing.
Given the vast number of people attending the event, ensuring the availability of clean and hygienic food options will be of utmost importance.
Himanshu Shukla, the Senior Divisional Commercial Manager/Coaching, mentioned that the Railways will be responsible for facilitating the movement of these millions of devotees and pilgrims. To cater to this large crowd, over 13,000 trains will be operated during the Maha Kumbh period.
This will include more than 10,000 regular trains and over 3,000 special trains, all aimed at making travel easier for the visitors.
Shukla also highlighted the importance of cleanliness and quality of services at the stations and food stalls, stressing that regular and surprise inspections would be carried out to ensure compliance.
He mentioned that the licence holders of food stalls will be asked to provide details of their base kitchens and facilities. In addition, a visitor feedback system will be implemented, encouraging pilgrims to share their experiences and suggestions for improving public services.
To further enhance the experience, the Railways will introduce multilingual communication systems across all major railway stations.
Information related to travel, amenities, and services will be available in 12 different languages, including Hindi, English, and regional languages such as Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, and others. This will ensure that the language barrier does not hinder the experience of the diverse crowd of visitors.
The Railways have also set up over 560 ticketing points across nine railway stations in Prayagraj, including Prayagraj Junction, Subedarganj, Naini, Prayag Junction, Phaphamau, and several others.
A total of 132 counters at Prayagraj Junction will handle the distribution of approximately 10 lakh tickets per day. This extensive setup is designed to manage the massive influx of pilgrims and ensure smooth ticketing operations.
Additionally, the facility for booking tickets 15 days in advance has been introduced, enabling devotees to plan their travel with greater ease.
A toll-free helpline has also been established to assist visitors, with operators available 24/7 to provide information in multiple languages. This helpline, operational since November 1, 2024, will cater to the needs of devotees by offering guidance on travel-related queries.
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