Maha Kumbh: ECR enforcing prohibition on people's entry with no valid tickets into railway stations

The East Central Railway (ECR) on Monday said it has been strictly enforcing the prohibition on people's entry into stations without valid tickets in view of the heavy rush of passengers across Bihar for Maha Kumbh. The announcement comes two days after 18 people died in a stampede at the packed New Delhi railway station.

"Adequate arrangements to ensure proper management of crowds at railway stations under the jurisdiction of ECR have been made. The railways is committed to ensuring smooth travel for passengers during the Maha Kumbh Mela. Arrangements have been made to prohibit the entry of those not having valid tickets at all entry points of the railway stations in the state," Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Sharswati Chandra told PTI.

The ECR authorities are also taking assistance from the local district administration and police to enforce the prohibition.


Patna District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh told PTI, "Security forces are being deputed at several stations in the state capital to assist railway officials and also to ensure proper management of the crowd, including those not having valid travel tickets from entering the stations".

Adequate arrangements, including the establishment of additional ticket counters and other necessary facilities, have been made to manage the sudden rush of passengers, the CPRO.

The railways also deployed additional staff at certain railway stations for the purpose.

Several Kumbh Mela special trains are running from Patna Junction daily to handle the rush, the official said.

Senior railway officials are already managing the affairs very effectively, he added.

The unprecedented rush of passengers for Maha Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj was seen at several railway stations across Bihar, including Patna, Danapur, Ara, Gaya, Sasaram, Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, and Darbhanga.

Meanwhile, a person died of electrocution after he allegedly fell down from a footover bridge and came in contact with a high-voltage power cable at Patna railway station on Sunday, the CPRO said.

The identity of the deceased could not be ascertained so far.

Officials concerned are investigating the matter, the official added.