New Delhi: The passengers are struggling to get confirmed berths in regular trains from Delhi to Prayagraj, while seats are available in Maha Kumbh Special trains on the same route.
As per the Railways CRIS website, seats in around 36 regular trains from New Delhi to Prayagraj Junction in various categories especially sleeper class, are showing either full or long waiting. However, as per the position on Friday, seats/berths are still available in Maha Kumbh Special Trains from January 25 to February 3.
Explaining the reason for available seats in Special Trains, Northern Railways Public Relations Officer, Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay told ETV Bharat, "In the absence of awareness about Special Trains running from Delhi to Prayagraj for Mahakumbh, passengers are trying to book their tickets in regular trains despite trying to secure seats in Special Trains."
"The Railways is raising awareness among travellers about Special Trains so that people can book seats in these trains and avail confirm tickets. During the Chhath puja festival we had made people aware of special trains which were successful,” Upadhyay said. As per the CRIS website, all sleeper seats were either booked or waiting for train seats including Vande Bharat.
If a passenger wants to travel from Delhi to Prayagraj there is a long list of waiting in sleeper category and other classes such as train no 20434 Jammu Mail (122 January 29), 12312 Netaji Express (169 January 25), 18310 JAT SBP Express (316 January 27), 22436 Vande Bharat (469 January 26), 12816 Nandankanan Express (35 January 27), 15484 Mahananda Express (83 January 26), 12506 North East Express (90 January 26), 12488 Seemanchal Express (95 January 26), 22428 Bhrigu SF Express (174 January 25), and several others trains.
Several passengers often don't prefer to book tickets in special trains as they have a common apprehension that these trains run late as compared to regular trains. “The scenario has completely changed from earlier times. Now, the railway has better infrastructure for running trains on time,” CPRO Upadhyay added.
On train arrangement issue, Divisional Railway Manager, Prayagraj, Himanshu Badoni on Friday informed over 13 lakh devotees travelled from Prayagraj Junction, Prayagraj Chheoki Naini Junction, Subedarganj Stations of Prayagraj division, generating revenue of over Rs 71 crore.
As per the estimate of the large number of devotees on the upcoming bathing festival Mauni Amavasya, the Railways has prepared a plan to run over 150 trains. After bathing on Mauni Amavasya, there is a plan to send the devotees to eight stations of Prayagraj region for travel as per direction.
According to railway officials, the digital services made available for the devotees by Prayagraj Mandal have proved to be very effective in Mahakumbh-2025. So far, about 1,10,000 devotees have visited the Kumbh Rail Seva website, and over 15000 Kumbh Rail Seva mobile App have been downloaded and about 9000 people contacted on the toll free number.
