Mahakumbh 2025: As the preparation for grand Mahakumbh 2025 gains momentum, the Indian Railways are gearing up to enhance the wholesome experience for devotees and visitors, ensuring the availability of clean and hygienic food to them.
The Prayagraj division has instructed all the catering stall license holders to adhere to the prescribed rates and maintain cleanliness and hygiene in food services. Additionally, all stalls have been directed to keep their goods in order and ensure that employees wear proper uniforms and display name plates and maintain polite behaviour towards the devotees.
Notably, the railways are also expanding services continuously to accommodate the influx of devotees and tourists during the Mahakumbh. Himanshu Shukla, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager/Coaching, stated that, for Mahakumbh 2025, crores of devotees from across the country and abroad are expected to visit Prayagraj for darshan and bathing, with a significant number of them travelling by train.
Food stall staff should be dressed with 'nameplates'
He emphasised that the Railways must offer the best services. Additionally, he directed that all stalls keep goods organised, ensure staff are properly dressed with nameplates, and maintain polite behaviour towards devotees.
He stated, “Regular and surprise inspections of stalls and passenger facilities will be conducted. Besides, license holders have been instructed to provide details of their base kitchens without delay. In addition, Shukla encouraged the display of visitor books at the stalls inviting feedback from devotees and encouraging staff and license holders to contribute suggestions for improving public facilities.
To manage the massive influx of passengers, a total of 560 ticketing points including UTS, ATVM, MUTS, enquiry, and PRS, will be set up across 9 railway stations as well as in the fair area-
- Prayagraj Junction
- Subedarganj
- Naini
- Prayagraj Chheoki
- Prayag Junction
- Phaphamau
- Prayagraj Rambagh
- Prayagraj Sangam
- Jhansi
Devotees can book railway tickets 15 days in advance
Among these, 132 counters will be located at Prayagraj Junction, where approximately 10 lakh tickets can be distributed daily. The Railways has also introduced the facility to book railway tickets, 15 days in advance. A toll-free helpline number, 1800 4199 139, has been operational since November 1, 2024, and will be staffed with four operators per shift round-the-clock. This helpline will provide information in languages such as Odia, Tamil/Telugu, Marathi, and Bengali during the fair period.
Additionally, a multilingual announcement system will be introduced for travel-related information in 12 languages ensuring seamless communication for all devotees during Mahakumbh-
- Hindi
- English
- Gujarati
- Marathi
- Tamil
- Kannada
- Telugu
- Malayalam
- Bengali
- Odia
- Punjabi
- Assamese
