The Union government informed the Rajya Sabha on Friday that 23 cases of railway property damage were reported across various stations during the Maha Kumbh, leading to a financial loss of approximately ₹3.13 lakh. In a written reply to DMK MP Kanimozhi, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that the damages included broken doors and shattered window panes in train coaches. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has arrested 11 individuals in connection with these incidents.
Security Measures in Place
Vaishnaw outlined the security measures implemented to maintain order at Prayagraj railway station during the religious gathering. A total of 1,200 CCTV cameras, including 116 with facial recognition technology, were installed to monitor potential troublemakers. Additionally, 15,000 personnel from the RPF and the Government Railway Police (GRP) were deployed across Prayagraj’s railway network. Extra security forces were stationed at key transit points, including Ayodhya, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, and Patna stations, to facilitate passenger movement and train operations.
Compensation for Victims
When questioned about compensation for affected passengers, Vaishnaw referred to the February 15 stampede at New Delhi Railway Station, stating that ₹2.01 crore in ex-gratia payments had been disbursed to 33 victims or their families.
Overcrowding and Vandalism
The minister detailed a 10-point strategy adopted to manage the heavy influx of passengers at railway stations. This included the establishment of holding areas, access control measures, wider foot-over bridges, expanded CCTV coverage, creation of war rooms, deployment of advanced communication systems, introduction of standardised ID cards and uniforms for staff, elevation of the station director post, and capacity-based ticket sales.
On March 12, Vaishnaw had informed the Lok Sabha that 22 trains were damaged due to overcrowding during the Maha Kumbh. Each special train carried around 3,000 passengers, and five such trains were deployed to manage an additional 15,000 commuters. Between January 13 and the conclusion of Maha Kumbh, Indian Railways operated 13,667 trains to transport an estimated 120-150 million pilgrims.
Despite these measures, videos on social media showed chaotic scenes at railway stations in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, with pilgrims pelting stones and vandalising trains bound for Prayagraj. In a separate response in the Lok Sabha on March 19, Vaishnaw revealed that over 7,900 incidents of stone-pelting on trains, including Vande Bharat Express, had been reported nationwide since 2023, causing damages worth ₹5.79 crore. Additionally, 12 cases of vandalism in AC coaches were registered in Bihar in February.
Sources By Agencies
