LPrayagraj: Indian Railways mounted a massive and coordinated operation involving three zones — North Central Railway (NCR), Northern Railway (NR) and North Eastern Railway (NER)– to ensure smooth and safe travel for devotees during Magh Mela-2026.Between Jan 2 and 16, the 3 zones together operated hundreds of special and regular trains, focusing on seamless connectivity to Prayagraj and surrounding districts amid the heavy rush of pilgrims. During this period, a total of 394 mela special trains were pressed into service. NCR operated 298 specials while NR ran 34 and NER operated 62 services. These included extended services of existing trains, ring rail operations around Prayagraj, time-tabled short-distance shuttles and additional specials introduced according to real-time passenger demand. The arrangement ensured uninterrupted movement between the mela area, major Prayagraj stations and neighbouring regions. Alongside the special services, regular train operations continued without interruption. As many as 2,710 scheduled trains were run— NCR (2,408), NR (212) and NER (90). In all, Indian Railways operated 3,104 trains in the 15-day period, highlighting the scale of logistical planning undertaken for the annual religious congregation. According to senior PRO, NCR, Amit Malviya, “Authorities gave top priority to punctual and hassle-free movement of passengers. Special trains were given priority in line clearance and platform allocation to minimise waiting time. Round-the-clock monitoring by control offices, deployment of additional staff at key locations and close coordination among operating, commercial, electrical and security departments helped maintain smooth operations.
” Passenger amenities were also strengthened at major stations like as Prayagraj Junction, Prayag, Chheoki and Naini. Help desks, public address systems, medical assistance counters and enhanced security arrangements were put in place to assist devotees. Clear signage and crowd-regulation measures ensured orderly dispersal after major bathing days. The joint effort proved crucial in handling the surge witnessed during Makar Sankranti and the days leading to Mauni Amavasya.
