The Northern Railways has announced the operation of a Vande Bharat Special train (02252/02251) on February 15, 16, and 17 to facilitate devotees traveling to the Maha Kumbh Mela in Varanasi via Prayagraj.
According to a press statement issued by Northern Railways, train number 02252 will depart from New Delhi at 5:30 AM and reach Varanasi at 2:20 PM, with a stop at Prayagraj at 12:00 PM. In the return direction, train number 02251 will leave Varanasi at 3:15 PM, halt at Prayagraj at 5:20 PM, and arrive in New Delhi at 11:50 PM the same day.
Chief Public Relations Officer of Northern Railways, Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, stated that the special train has been introduced to accommodate the expected rush of devotees traveling for the Maha Kumbh Mela during the weekend.
With over 500 million devotees expected to take a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam - the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati - the Maha Kumbh 2025 is set to become the largest spiritual gathering in the world. Uttar Pradesh officials confirmed that the event has already seen significant participation, with 17 million devotees taking a dip on Paush Purnima, 35 million on Makar Sankranti, 76.4 million on Mauni Amavasya, 25.7 million on Basant Panchami, and 14 million on Magh Purnima. As of Friday afternoon, over 7.9 million devotees had bathed at the Triveni Sangam.
Additionally, the Uttar Pradesh government reported that more than 200,000 Kalpavasis and approximately 7.7 million devotees attended the Mela on Friday. Over 400,000 people have traveled via 140 trains to participate in the religious festivities.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has issued strict directives to ensure smooth traffic management during the Maha Kumbh, warning that officials will be held accountable in case of congestion.
The 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela, which commenced on Paush Purnima (January 13), will continue until Mahashivratri on February 26, drawing millions of pilgrims and tourists from across the globe.
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