MAHAKUMBH: Starting from Mauni Amavasya, one of the most important bathing days of the ongoing Mahakumbh Mela, the Railways operated 360 trains from Prayagraj from Wednesday. This includes 190 special trains designed to manage the large number of devotees traveling for the festival. Officials have confirmed that no special trains will be canceled.

More than  8 crore people are expected to take a dip in the holy Triveni Sangam during the Amrit Snan festival. As more devotees continue to arrive in Prayagraj, the Prayagraj Railway Division has made special arrangements to ensure smooth travel. On Wednesday, a total of 360 trains were operated, including a record 222 Mela Special trains.

The Prayagraj Railway Administration took several measures to help manage the massive crowds, including easier ticket distribution, designated waiting areas, and extra coordination with the police to ensure a smooth flow of passengers. Special trains were operated from stations like Prayagraj Junction, Chheoki, Naini, Subedarganj, and other nearby locations.

As crowds began to build up around 8.00-am, the Khusro Bagh Holding Area was opened, and with the help of police, people were guided to the station for smooth boarding. NCR General Manager Upendra Joshi and Divisional Railway Manager Himanshu Badoni were closely monitoring the situation to ensure everything ran smoothly.

The Railway Board's Chairman, Satish Kumar, mentioned that the Railways had taken significant steps to manage the large influx of pilgrims, including operating 132 to 135 special trains on January 14 and increasing services for the Mauni Amavasya.

As the devotees continued their holy dips in the Triveni Sangam, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reminded everyone to follow the administration's guidelines. While a stampede-like situation was reported earlier, it was quickly brought under control, and those injured were receiving medical care.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are both monitoring the situation and offering support. The efforts by the Railways helped ensure that millions of devotees had a safe and organized experience.

In related news, Akharas, who had initially canceled their participation in the Amrit Snan, have now decided to take part later in the day as the crowds at their ghats began to decrease.