Ahead of the Maha Kumbh, Indian Railways has achieved a significant milestone by improving connectivity between Prayagraj and Varanasi, two important centres of Sanatan culture.
Under the guidance of the double-engine government, the track doubling project between these cities is in its final stages, with the construction of the crucial Ganga Rail Bridge now completed.
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Officials here on Thursday said train operations on the upgraded track, enabling speeds of 100 to 130 km/h, are set to begin during the Maha Kumbh. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav will inspect the project on December 8, followed by its inauguration by Prime Minister Modi during his visit on December 13.
The double-engine government at the Centre and the state is leaving no stone unturned to make Mahakumbh 2025 a divine, grand, safe and seamless event. With an estimated 40 crore devotees expected to visit Prayagraj from across the country, Indian Railways is undertaking preparations on a war-footing. The completion of the Varanasi-Prayagraj rail line doubling and the Ganga Rail Bridge is a significant step in this direction.
Following the trolley train run, the rail track doubling will facilitate high-speed train operations, significantly reducing travel time between Prayagraj and Varanasi. The latest trains like the Vande Bharat Express will cover the distance in just one to one-and-a-quarter hours, ensuring a smooth and fast journey for devotees.
The construction of the Ganga Rail Bridge and the doubling of the Prayagraj-Varanasi rail track have been executed by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), an organisation under Indian Railways. RVNL GM Vinay Agarwal said that the proposal for the Ganga Rail Bridge was initiated in 2003 but faced delays due to a lack of political will and land acquisition issues. With the efforts of the double-engine government, construction began in 2019 and is now complete, with train operation set to start before Mahakumbh.
The Ganga Rail Bridge, connecting Daraganj in Prayagraj to Jhunsi, is replacing the old Izat Bridge. Additionally, the track has been doubled from the CMP Degree College rail over the bridge in Prayagraj to Jhunsi and further to Rambagh, integrating it into this upgraded rail line.
About 200 trains pass through this track every day and will now enable faster train operations on key routes such as Delhi-Kolkata, Howrah-Prayagraj, Prayagraj-Gorakhpur, and Prayagraj-Patna.
