Northeast Frontier Railway Prepares for Ambubachi Mela with Special Arrangements
Extensive Preparations for Ambubachi Mela
Representative image (Photo: X)
Guwahati, June 17: The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has announced comprehensive measures to ensure a safe and comfortable travel experience for the thousands of devotees expected to attend the Ambubachi Mela at Kamakhya Temple from June 22 to June 25.
In anticipation of a significant increase in passenger numbers during the festival, NFR is implementing a variety of passenger-focused initiatives. These include running special trains, providing 24-hour ticketing services, deploying extra railway and security staff, setting up help desks and inquiry counters, and distributing food packets and drinking water to the pilgrims, as stated by NFR Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Kapinjal Kishore Sharma on Tuesday.
These efforts are designed to ensure smooth movement of devotees, effective crowd control, and improved passenger convenience during this major spiritual event in the region.
To accommodate the expected influx of pilgrims, NFR will operate three special unreserved train services featuring nearly 50 General Second Class (GS) coaches, linking Kamakhya with key locations in Assam and North Bengal.
Additionally, several regular passenger trains will be temporarily enhanced with 11 extra GS coaches to increase capacity during the mela.
As part of these arrangements, Train No. 05661 Kamakhya-Alipurduar Junction one-way special will leave Kamakhya on June 19, arriving in Alipurduar the next day.
Moreover, Train Nos. 05444/05445 Alipurduar-Kamakhya-Alipurduar special will run daily from June 20 to June 22 and again from June 24 to June 27, improving connectivity between Assam and North Bengal during the festival.
Furthermore, Train No. 05780 New Jalpaiguri-Kamakhya special will operate on June 20 and June 27, while Train No. 05779 Kamakhya-New Jalpaiguri special will run on June 21 and June 28.
To ensure smooth ticketing, additional ticket counters will be operational around the clock at both Kamakhya and Guwahati railway stations. Special help desks and inquiry counters will also be established at strategic locations to assist pilgrims with guidance and information throughout the mela.
To enhance crowd management and passenger convenience, extra personnel from the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP), and various commercial and technical departments will be stationed at Kamakhya, Guwahati, and other important stations, Sharma noted.
Additionally, approximately 200 volunteers from the NFR Bharat Scouts & Guides will be on hand to assist pilgrims with information and support services, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable pilgrimage experience during the Ambubachi Mela.