Maha’s pilgrimage train schedule delayed due to Maha Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj
While nine trains have been dispatched to various pilgrimage sites under the Maharashtra Mukhya Mantri Tirth Darshan Yojana, 13 trains planned for Ayodhya are now delayed, forcing senior citizens keen on visiting Lord Ram’s birthplace to wait longer
Owing to the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh (UP), the pilgrimage train schedule under the Maharashtra Mukhya Mantri Tirth Darshan Yojana has been delayed till March this year. The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has informed the state government that additional trains cannot be arranged due to heavy demand for train services in north India.

Gururaj Sonna, divisional manager, IRCTC Pune, said, “The heavy rush of passengers due to the Maha Kumbh Mela has impacted train availability, delaying the planned pilgrimage schedule. Once the demand subsides, possibly after March, the train schedules for the scheme will be revised.”
While nine trains have been dispatched to various pilgrimage sites under the Maharashtra Mukhya Mantri Tirth Darshan Yojana, 13 trains planned for Ayodhya are now delayed, forcing senior citizens keen on visiting Lord Ram’s birthplace to wait longer. Before the state assembly elections were announced, the social welfare department had started accepting online applications for the scheme but with the model code of conduct coming into force in October 2024, the schedule of trains under the scheme was deferred. The IRCTC had planned a total 15 trains, 13 of which were designated for Ayodhya.
Most trains headed to north India are fully booked due to the ongoing Maha Kumbh and the railway ministry has introduced additional special trains from Maharashtra to Prayagraj. Despite this, the IRCTC has stated in its letter that trains under the Mukhya Mantri Tirth Darshan Yojana are unavailable for now, forcing the state government to delay its plans. The social welfare department has been directed to inform applicants about the delay.
Swati Ithape, deputy commissioner, social welfare department, said, “We have received communication from the IRCTC regarding the postponement, and adjustments will be made to the schedule once the situation improves.”
Meanwhile, there is heavy rush of passengers travelling to Prayagraj not only from Pune but from across Maharashtra and India. Trains headed for Uttar Pradesh are full and there is huge demand for train, private bus and even airline tickets.
Swati Mujumle, a citizen, said, “We want to visit the Maha Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj next month but we are not getting train tickets, while flight tickets are exorbitant. We are a family group of 24 people so we want affordable travelling options.”
Ashok Jadhav, a Pune-based travel agent, said, “Train tickets for Prayagraj are being sold at higher rates as very few tickets are available daily under the Tatkal quota and many people have already booked tickets in advance. Now, private tourist buses are travelling as far as UP from various parts of Maharashtra.”
In Maharashtra, the Mukhya Mantri Tirth Darshan Yojana was launched on July 24, 2024 for senior citizens aged 60 and above. Under this scheme, 1,000 beneficiaries are selected from each district for pilgrimages to holy places such as Char Dham, Vaishno Devi, Amarnath, and Ayodhya. As of now, over 7,500 beneficiaries from districts such as Kolhapur, Jalgaon, Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur, Pune, Latur, and others have completed their pilgrimages in nine rounds of the scheme.
