The Indian Railways has smashed records, running over 17,000 trains in just 45 days for the Maha Kumbh 2025 in Prayagraj, shuttling 4.5 to 5 crore devotees with zero hiccups. After three years of planning and a whopping Rs 5,000 crore splurge on upgrades, this mega-operation quadrupled the last Kumbh’s train count, with not one locomotive, track, or wire giving out.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, speaking Thursday, hailed the flawless execution. Aiming for 13,000 trains, they hit 16,000 glitch-free runs by diverting freight to Dedicated Freight Corridors, keeping passenger tracks clear. “Every devotee got a smooth ride,” he boasted from Prayagraj, calling it the biggest festival rail op in history.

Nine key stations got a facelift—48 new platforms, 21 foot-over bridges, and extra entries—while 200 trains with dual-end engines dodged shunting snags. Tech stepped up with 1,186 CCTV cameras (100 with facial recognition) and drones watching the crowds. To tame peak chaos, 23 holding zones were built, backed by 554 ticket counters—151 mobile—and a slick QR system.

The Banaras-Prayagraj line doubling, featuring a new Ganga bridge, turbocharged connectivity. Vaishnaw touted it as a model for future blowouts like the next Kumbh, with multilingual announcements and leaflets in 23 languages sealing the deal. This Rs 5,000 crore gamble paid off, proving the railways can handle India’s wildest crowds with style and steel