ER witnesses surge in pilgrim traffic during Shravani Mela

Kolkata, Aug 18 (IANS) Nearly 20 lakh pilgrims passed through Jasidih, Basukinath, Deoghar and Baidyanathdham stations of Eastern Railway (ER) between July 30 and August 17. According to ER, the footfall at these four stations surged to 19,86,294 during the period, marking a 9.02 per cent rise over last year’s figure of 18.21 lakh.

“Basukinath witnessed the largest growth of 37.89 per cent, while the footfall at Deoghar rose by 21.31 per cent. Jasidih handled the lion’s share with 12,27,836 pilgrims. Peak crowds converged on August 10 and 17, both Mondays considered auspicious in Shravan. Jasidih recorded 92,898 pilgrims on August 17, while Basukinath and Deoghar handled 26,332 and 27,318 people on August 10. Baidyanathdham saw its peak of 9,170 pilgrims on August 17,” an ER official said.

The zonal railway made elaborate arrangements for the pilgrims during this year’s Shravani Mela at Deoghar. Ticketing operations ran non-stop across all four stations to eliminate delays. Jasidih operated 10 automated ticket vending machines (ATVMs) and 20 Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) counters across 43 shifts; Deoghar managed three ATVMs and five UTS counters across 12 shifts; Basukinath had two ATVMs and four UTS counters across nine shifts; and Baidyanathdham ran one ATVM and three UTS counters across seven shifts.

“These round-the-clock setups ensured a steady, hassle-free flow of ticketing. To host the surging crowds, the Asansol Division expanded its Shravani Mela pandal space by nearly 87 per cent, from 69,000 sq ft to 1,29,000 sq ft. Pandal floors and road zones were lined with easy-to-clean PVC vinyl sheets, while additional Shravani Mela special trains and extra coaches on regular ones kept the pilgrim stream moving smoothly,” the official said.

Devotee comfort was prioritised with 25 new water coolers, nearly 400 LED lights, expanded waiting halls, charging points and ‘May I Help You’ booths. Bharat Scouts & Guides joined railway staff to offer wheelchair support for the elderly, sick and Divyangjan passengers, while Jasidih’s lifts on Platforms 2/3 ran non-stop.

Rigorous sanitation protocols, regular mopping, disinfectants, bleaching powder and mobile bio-toilet vans kept stations clean, ER said in a statement.

“Health and safety were monitored continuously via a 24×7 Integrated Command & Control Centre at Jasidih, backed by a War Room at the DRM Office in Asansol, supported by extra CCTVs, PA systems and display boards. Security featured 330 RPF personnel alongside railway security managing queues, FOB traffic and entry/exit points. Dedicated medical units provided first aid, ORS and essential care to 13,494 pilgrims who fell ill, 6,500 at Jasidih, 3,146 at Deoghar, 1,834 at Baidyanathdham and 2,014 at Basukinath. Passengers were advised to use FOBs strictly, avoid trespassing and board only stationary trains,” the statement said.

ER CPRO Shibram Majhi said the core objective during Shravani Mela 2026 was to guarantee that every devotee experienced a safe, dignified and effortless journey. He added that through round-the-clock coordination among Asansol Division, security forces, medical teams and volunteers, ER successfully scaled up its infrastructure to serve nearly 20 lakh pilgrims without compromising on comfort or safety.

— IANS

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