NCR to connect Prayagraj with 3 Jyotirlings through special trains

Shiva devotees from Prayagraj and neighbouring districts will have easier rail connectivity to three of the country’s prominent Jyotirling shrines during the holy month of Sawan, with the North Central Railway (NCR) operating special trains to Baba Baidyanath Dham (Deoghar), Mahakaleshwar (Ujjain) and Somnath

Shiva devotees from Prayagraj and neighbouring districts will have easier rail connectivity to three of the country’s prominent Jyotirling shrines during the holy month of Sawan, with the North Central Railway (NCR) operating special trains to Baba Baidyanath Dham (Deoghar), Mahakaleshwar (Ujjain) and Somnath.

Railway officials said NCR is also considering extending connectivity to Kashi Vishwanath Dham, Varanasi, depending on passenger demand.

For devotees heading to Baba Baidyanath Dham, officials said Jasidih and Madhupur stations will serve as the railheads for Deoghar.

As part of the special arrangements, NCR will operate the Prayagraj Junction-Veraval-Prayagraj weekly special train (04173/04174) from August 6 to September 25, providing direct connectivity to the Dwarka-Somnath region. The train will run every Thursday from Prayagraj and every Friday from Veraval, completing eight trips in each direction.

Pilgrims visiting Mahakaleshwar will benefit from the Subedarganj-Indore-Subedarganj bi-weekly special train (04169/04170), which has a scheduled halt at Ujjain, the gateway to the revered Jyotirling shrine. The train is already operating twice a week between Subedarganj and Indore and will continue till the end of September.

To further augment capacity during the festive rush, NCR has also sanctioned 10 additional trips of the Virangana Lakshmibai Jhansi-Asansol-Virangana Lakshmibai Jhansi bi-weekly special train (04185/04186) between July 29 and August 31 with an enhanced coach composition to cater to increased passenger demand during the Sawan season.

“The special train plan has been drawn up to facilitate hassle-free travel for lakhs of devotees expected to undertake pilgrimages during Sawan, one of the busiest periods for religious travel in northern India. Depending on passenger response, NCR is also exploring the possibility of introducing connectivity to Baba Vishwanath Dham in Varanasi,” said NCR’s chief public relations officer Dr Shivam Sharma.