Patna, Feb 17: The East Central Railway (ECR) announced on Monday that it is strictly enforcing the ban on entry into stations without valid tickets due to the significant influx of passengers in Bihar for the Maha Kumbh. This decision follows a tragic incident where 18 people lost their lives in a stampede at a crowded New Delhi railway station just two days earlier.
Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Sharswati Chandra stated, “We have made sufficient arrangements to effectively manage crowds at railway stations within the ECR zone. The railways are dedicated to facilitating seamless travel for passengers throughout the Maha Kumbh Mela. Measures to restrict entry for individuals without valid tickets have been implemented at all station entrances throughout the state.”
To enforce this restriction, ECR authorities are collaborating with local district administrations and law enforcement.
Patna District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh confirmed to PTI that “security personnel are being stationed at multiple transit points in the state capital to support railway officials and ensure the effective management of crowds, preventing entry for those lacking valid travel tickets.”
The CPRO also mentioned that adequate measures, such as additional ticket counters and essential facilities, have been set up to handle the surge of passengers.
Additionally, the railways have deployed extra staff at select railway stations to assist during this period.
To accommodate the heavy demand, several special trains for the Kumbh Mela are being operated from Patna Junction daily, according to officials.
Senior railway officials have already been effectively managing the situation, they added.
The unprecedented number of passengers traveling for the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, has been observed at multiple railway stations across Bihar, including Patna, Danapur, Ara, Gaya, Sasaram, Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, and Darbhanga.
In a related incident, a person tragically died from electrocution after falling from a footbridge and making contact with a high-voltage power line at Patna railway station on Sunday, reported the CPRO. The identity of the deceased is still unknown, and officials are investigating the incident. (Agencies)
