Mahakumbh stampede: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a Cabinet meeting today at his residence in the national capital following a stampede at the Sangam area of the Mahakumbh early Wednesday as crores of pilgrims turned up to take a holy dip on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya.
During the Union Cabinet meeting, PM Modi inquired Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw about the arrangements made by the Indian Railways for the devotees at Prayagraj. Vaishnaw briefed the Prime Minister on the extensive measures being implemented, including the operation of over 360 trains from Prayagraj, with a train arriving every four minutes at various stations.
He also mentioned that personnel from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) have been deployed at all stations for crowd management, and passengers are being allowed entry based on a color-coded system.
CM Yogi urges Ashwini Vaishnaw to increase number of trains
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urged Vaishnaw to increase the number of trains operating from Prayagraj. He said that this was to ensure that the devotees who came for the Mahakumbh could leave the city quickly and smoothly.
In response, the Railway Minister assured the Chief Minister that trains are operating every four minutes and that over 360 trains are running from Prayagraj today. After the stampede in Mahakumbh, efforts are being made to get the devotees out of Prayagraj through trains as soon as possible.
To accommodate the surge in pilgrims on Mauni Amavasya, Indian Railways planned to operate 150 special trains in a single day. This is a significant increase compared to the 85 special trains operated during Mauni Amavasya in the 2019 Ardh Kumbh. Railway officials called it a major achievement, emphasising the importance of ensuring seamless travel for devotees.
(Input: Anamika Gaur)
Also Read: Mahakumbh stampede: CM Yogi urges Ashwini Vaishnaw to increase number of trains from Prayagraj
Also Read: Mahakumbh: Indian Railways to send multiple trains to Prayagraj for smooth journey of devotees
