cleared: jm
Hyderabad: Over 3 lakh pilgrims from Telangana are likely to attend the 45-day Maha Kumbh which began in Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh on Monday.
Many people from the state are preparing to spend a week or more during the spiritual journey, with likely visits to Ayodhya and Varanasi too. Pilgrims are planning to travel in groups of 10 to 20 people consisting mostly of family, relatives and friends.
“This will be my maiden visit to the Maha Kumbh. As I have not visited the sacred sites of Ayodhya temple or Varanasi either, I felt this was an opportune time to explore these revered spiritual destinations together,” said C Narender Reddy, a resident of Secunderabad.
Apart from Telugus, people from other states such as Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat settled in Hyderabad also account for the pilgrims from Telangana to the once-in-12-years spiritual event.
Vinod Kumar L, a Rajput and resident of Narayanaguda, added, “Last time I attended the Kumbh mela in Nashik in 2003. Now, I am thrilled to participate in the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj. We have scheduled our visit for Feb and opted for air travel instead of train to save time. Our week-long itinerary includes performing rituals at the mela, followed by visits to the sacred cities of Ayodhya and Mathura.
To cater to the needs of pilgrims, South Central Railway (SCR) has arranged 177 special trains from different parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to Varanasi, Gaya, Raxaul and Patna, which pass through Prayagraj, until Feb 27. All the special trains will consist of 2-AC, 3-AC, sleeper, and second-class coaches.
“Regular trains are full till Feb and special trains are operating at 90% to 100% occupancy, carrying around 1,000 to 1,200 passengers during each trip. In response to increased demand, we will either add extra coaches to existing trains or introduce additional special services,” said a senior SCR official.
Private transport operators have also arranged buses for the event, with services from Nampally, Mehdipatnam, Bownpally and Kompally to Prayagraj, Allahabad and Varanasi. The tickets range from Rs 4,000 to Rs 7,000 per person.
Airfares up by 100%
On the other hand, air travel costs to Varanasi and Prayagraj have increased sharply, with current fares ranging between Rs 15,000 and Rs 18,000, compared to the usual rates of Rs 5,000-Rs 7,000.
“Due to unavailability of train tickets and no direct flights to Prayagraj, I was planning to fly to Varanasi from Hyderabad. But I was shocked to see the airfares. Now, I am waiting for scheduling of special trains,” said Krishna Nandu from Basheerbagh.
Railway Arrangements
12 language announcement systems, including Telugu, implemented across all 9 key stations
Over 3,000 special trains deployed across the country
Freight trains have been diverted to dedicated corridors for smooth operation of trains
554 ticketing counters, including 151 mobile UTS counters
Special colour-coded tickets and barcode-enabled UTS systems have been introduced
Hyderabad: Over 3 lakh pilgrims from Telangana are likely to attend the 45-day Maha Kumbh which began in Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh on Monday.
Many people from the state are preparing to spend a week or more during the spiritual journey, with likely visits to Ayodhya and Varanasi too. Pilgrims are planning to travel in groups of 10 to 20 people consisting mostly of family, relatives and friends.
“This will be my maiden visit to the Maha Kumbh. As I have not visited the sacred sites of Ayodhya temple or Varanasi either, I felt this was an opportune time to explore these revered spiritual destinations together,” said C Narender Reddy, a resident of Secunderabad.
Apart from Telugus, people from other states such as Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat settled in Hyderabad also account for the pilgrims from Telangana to the once-in-12-years spiritual event.
Vinod Kumar L, a Rajput and resident of Narayanaguda, added, “Last time I attended the Kumbh mela in Nashik in 2003. Now, I am thrilled to participate in the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj. We have scheduled our visit for Feb and opted for air travel instead of train to save time. Our week-long itinerary includes performing rituals at the mela, followed by visits to the sacred cities of Ayodhya and Mathura.
To cater to the needs of pilgrims, South Central Railway (SCR) has arranged 177 special trains from different parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to Varanasi, Gaya, Raxaul and Patna, which pass through Prayagraj, until Feb 27. All the special trains will consist of 2-AC, 3-AC, sleeper, and second-class coaches.
“Regular trains are full till Feb and special trains are operating at 90% to 100% occupancy, carrying around 1,000 to 1,200 passengers during each trip. In response to increased demand, we will either add extra coaches to existing trains or introduce additional special services,” said a senior SCR official.
Private transport operators have also arranged buses for the event, with services from Nampally, Mehdipatnam, Bownpally and Kompally to Prayagraj, Allahabad and Varanasi. The tickets range from Rs 4,000 to Rs 7,000 per person.
Airfares up by 100%
On the other hand, air travel costs to Varanasi and Prayagraj have increased sharply, with current fares ranging between Rs 15,000 and Rs 18,000, compared to the usual rates of Rs 5,000-Rs 7,000.
“Due to unavailability of train tickets and no direct flights to Prayagraj, I was planning to fly to Varanasi from Hyderabad. But I was shocked to see the airfares. Now, I am waiting for scheduling of special trains,” said Krishna Nandu from Basheerbagh.
Railway Arrangements
12 language announcement systems, including Telugu, implemented across all 9 key stations
Over 3,000 special trains deployed across the country
Freight trains have been diverted to dedicated corridors for smooth operation of trains
554 ticketing counters, including 151 mobile UTS counters
Special colour-coded tickets and barcode-enabled UTS systems have been introduced