Maha Kumbh stampede: Punekars worry for kin in Prayagraj; trains return overcrowded from holy city
Passengers of the trains that originated from Pune and long-distance trains with stoppage in the city and reached Prayagraj in the last two days are facing difficulties to reach to the Maha Kumbh site because of huge crowd
Following report of a pre-dawn stampede at the Maha Kumbh on Wednesday that claimed at least 30 people and injured another 60 in Prayagraj, the Uttar Pradesh government has stopped arrival of trains to the stations in the town. Passengers of the trains that originated from Pune and long-distance trains with stoppage in the city and reached Prayagraj in the last two days are facing difficulties to reach to the Maha Kumbh site because of huge crowd.

As per the information given by the Central Railway (CR) officials, most of the UP-bound trains are crowded since the Maha Kumbh started in Prayagraj. The CR has started 34 special trains from various cities like Pune and Mumbai for the religious event on different days of the week. Officials said that trains that left the city on January 28 have been stopped at outer stations of Prayagraj city.
“We are continuously monitoring the situation and all our trains have reached Prayagraj. The state has stopped short distance trains to accommodate huge crowds of devotees visiting the city. As trains originating from Maharashtra take more than 24 hours to reach the city, it cannot be halted,” said Swapnil Neela, CR chief public relations officer.
The official said that devotees from Maharashtra and other places staying at Prayagraj for at least 1 or 2 days crowd the city.
“Even the special trains returning from the city to Mumbai and Pune are overcrowded as compared to the passenger count during the onward journey,” he said
“We reached Prayagraj on January 28 and there was a massive crowd of devotees at the railway station itself. Our group of 14 people had to walk all the way from railway station towards the Kumbh site as there was no space for vehicles to move,” said Ketan Jambhale of Pune.
Another citizen Reshma Kasat said, “My elderly parents have gone to Prayagraj by a special train a couple of days back and reached the Kumbh Mela site on Tuesday. We are really worried about them after the stampede incident. We could not afford flight tickets for them for the religious trip as the rates are very high.”
According to authorities, the stampede between 1am and 2am on Wednesday as millions of devotees jostled to find a toehold before taking a dip at the holy Sangam nose on Mauni Amavasya, considered by many as the most auspicious moment of the six-week festival.
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