Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) is rolling out extensive travel arrangements to accommodate the thousands of devotees expected at the annual Ambubachi Mela. The festival, which takes place at the Kamakhya Temple, runs from June 22 to 25. To manage the influx of passengers, the railway has scheduled three special unreserved train services and added 11 extra coaches to existing lines to boost capacity.
Specific special trains will connect Kamakhya with Alipurduar and New Jalpaiguri. The Kamakhya to Alipurduar Junction one-way special departs on June 19, while the Alipurduar to Kamakhya service runs from June 20 to 22 and June 24 to 27. Additionally, the New Jalpaiguri to Kamakhya route will operate on June 20 and 27, with return trips available on June 21 and 28.
To assist travelers, the NFR is opening round the clock ticket counters at Kamakhya and Guwahati stations. The railway has also stationed help desks and enquiry counters to provide information. Security measures include the deployment of Railway Protection Force and Government Railway Police officers, alongside roughly 200 volunteers from the NFR Bharat Scouts and Guides who will assist with crowd control and passenger guidance.
Railway officials stated these measures aim to ensure the, "seamless movement of devotees and enhancing passenger convenience during one of Northeast India's largest annual spiritual gatherings." Beyond transit, the railway will distribute water and food packets to pilgrims arriving for the event.
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