Delhi, July 24: As in the case of Prayagraj Maha Kumbh, the Ministry of Railways has started advance preparations for Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha to be held in 2027.
The Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and MoS Ravneet Singh Bittu took an extensive review of the plans. GM Central Railway, DRM Bhusaval division, and other officials briefed the Ministers and the Railway Board on its planning and execution status.
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Strengthening connectivity to the Mela area: Railways will undertake comprehensive infrastructure and operational upgrade for Simhastha. It has prepared an integrated plan to expand the capacity of stations across the region. The goal is to ensure streamlined passenger movement during the Nashik Simhastha 2027.
The Railway Minister urged the officials to adopt best practices which emerged from the Maha Kumbh 2025 experience. The Minister advised the officials to develop adequate facilities in all nearby stations of Nashik. He emphasised on the need to have sufficient stabling capacity for seamless transport.
Officials informed that the passenger traffic will be managed at 5 key stations which are within the vicinity of the Mela area. These are Nashik Road, Devlali, Odha, Kherwadi and Kasbe Sukene stations.
Upgrading infrastructure, enhancing passenger amenities: The railway officials shared the details of infrastructure works and passenger amenities proposed at each of the 5 identified stations. The works planned at these stations are projected to cost over ₹1,011 crore.
Nashik Road: Platform-4 will be made bi-directional. Platform-1 will be extended to accommodate 24-coach trains. A 12m wide FOB will be constructed. Goods shed is proposed to be used as a holding area.
Stabling lines are being developed at Nashik Road. The platform surface, boundary wall, and Mela Tower will also be upgraded.
Devlali: Additional platforms will be constructed. Two 6m wide FOBs will be built. Advanced coach and wagon examination facilities (with 3 stabling lines & 2 pit lines) are also planned to be built. A Sewage Treatment Plant is proposed to be set up.
Odha: An island platform with loop lines will be developed. Four 6m wide FOBs will be built. Long-haul loop line and yard remodeling are also planned. 5 stabling lines are proposed to be built.
Kherwadi: A new down platform will be constructed. Two 6m wide FOBs will be built. Yard remodelling is also proposed to be undertaken.
Kasbe-Sukene: Platforms will be extended. Two 6m wide FOBs will be built. A common dispatch facility will be set up.
In addition to the above, various passenger amenities are planned to be developed at all 5 stations. These include Cover Over Platforms, water tanks, new toilets, and water-proof holding areas. The circulating areas, pathways, entry/exit roads, and Passenger Information Systems are also planned to be upgraded.
Railways is on track to execute the above works well within the timeframe of 2 years. Out of the total 65 proposed works, estimates of 33 have already been sanctioned.
Special trains for Simhastha: The anticipated footfall is over 3 crore pilgrims, nearly 50 times that of the Simhastha 2015. With this in mind, Railways is planning to run a significantly higher number of special trains.
Long-distance specials and short-distance MEMU services will be provided to pilgrims travelling from across India. These will connect Nashik to important stations including Kamakhya, Howrah, Patna, Delhi, Jaipur, Bikaner, Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and Nanded.
A round-trip special circuit train will also run. It will connect the 3 Jyotirlingas - Trimbakeshwar, Grishneshwar, and Omkareshwar.
Ensuring efficient crowd management: Large holding areas are being developed at each major station to ensure smooth movement of pilgrims. A centralized command and control centre is proposed to be set up. It will be equipped with CCTV cameras for effective monitoring and AI tools for predictive scheduling.
Joint meeting with CM Maharastra: Railway officials are continuously in touch with the state government officials. There is close coordination between Railways and Maharashtra state government. In the coming months, a joint review of progress will be held with Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis.
