By Chanchal Mukherjee
New Delhi: In a bid to provide an aesthetic look to stations in and around Prayagraj during Maka Kumbh-2025, several railway stations have been transformed into beautiful hubs with walls adorned with captivating murals inspired by Hindu mythology.
According to senior Railway officials, the themes have been chosen to provide a vibrant and mythological reflection here such as Ramayan, Krishna Leela, Lord Buddha, Shiva Bhakti, Ganga Aarti, and women empowerment to bring the city’s cultural and spiritual legacy to life, welcoming pilgrims with a vivid narrative of faith and tradition.
Railways are trying to enhance Prayagraj’s Charm for Mahakumbh 2025 by doing 'Paint My City'.
In preparation for the grand event, Indian Railways has actively contributed to Prayagraj’s beautification under the 'Paint My City' drive, all railway stations in Prayagraj including Prayagraj Junction, Naini Junction, Phaphamau, Prayag Junction, Jhunsi Station, Rambagh Station, Cheoki, Prayagraj Sangam, and Subedarganj stations have been transformed into artistic hubs, senior officials informed.
"These wall paintings not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of the stations but also reflect the soul of Prayagraj as a centre of spirituality and cultural heritage," they added.
The artworks depict the city’s deep-rooted traditions, including rishi parampara (sage traditions), guru-shishya lineage, and the harmonious blend of knowledge and renunciation, offering visitors a glimpse into its timeless essence. The vibrant murals on the walls of railway stations align with the larger effort to present Prayagraj as a city steeped in faith and tradition, ensuring that every corner resonates with the grandeur of Mahakumbh.
The Railways' efforts in beautifying these stations resonate with the spirit of Mahakumbh, creating a visually immersive experience for millions of pilgrims and tourists. By integrating art with infrastructure, the initiative ensures that Prayagraj’s cultural vibrancy leaves an indelible impression on all who arrive to partake in this historic event, the official pointed out.
Besides this, Railway said about 40 to 45 crore devotees are expected to attend this mega event. Out of which a large part of the devotees will reach Prayagraj via rail travel.
Inspector General RPF Amiya Nandan Sinha informed RPF North Central Railway is fully prepared to make Maha Kumbh safe and successful and all preparations have been completed. "RPF is fully prepared to serve the passengers by preparing itself at every level to make this religious and holy journey of all the passengers/devotees successful and pleasant," added Amiya Nandan Sinha.
IG RPF said that the three major challenges before RPF during this event are sabotage, stampede and disaster (arson, bomb blast). For this, some special arrangements have been made by RPF personnel.
Sabotage:
During this mega event, there is a strong possibility of external anti-social elements causing disruption by vandalising railway tracks and trains. For which, RPF/North Central Railway will deal with the challenges of Maha Kumbh, about 5000 jawans of RPF and RPF special companies have been deployed for the security of stations and tracks.
RPF Commandos:
RPF's special commando company chorus commandos have been deployed to deal with security and any emergency situation.
Drone Cameras:
Stations, trains, and rail lines will be monitored through drone cameras. RPF has prepared a plan to identify the affected/sensitive places on the railway track due to vandalism and tampering and to conduct track patrolling at such places 24 hours a day in collaboration with GRP/Civil Police and Railway Engineering Department.
CCTV cameras:
About 1000 CCTV cameras have been installed at railway stations in Prayagraj region. A large number of cameras equipped with Face Reading System have been installed in them and photos and data of thousands of criminals have been uploaded in them.
