PATNA/KOLKATA: Kumbh Mela, one of the

world

's largest religious gatherings, has thrown Bihar's already overstretched railway system into complete disarray. As thousands of devotees flood the trains, stations descend into chaos, leaving passengers stranded, terrified and at times, caught in the crossfire of violent vandalism.
What began as an anticipated surge of pilgrims has now spiralled into a full-blown crisis. The railway network, ill-prepared for the sheer volume of people flocking to Prayagraj for a holy dip in the Sangam since Jan 13, is struggling under the weight of the unprecedented demand. The result? Trains running hours behind schedule, stations overcrowded beyond control and a wave of destruction sweeping across Bihar's railway divisions.
The situation has turned so dire that even railway officials are sounding the alarm. "We have seen an extraordinary rush at Kumbh Mela this year and our trains are facing immense pressure due to the sheer number of pilgrims attempting to travel. We are doing our utmost to accommodate everyone, but the volume has been simply overwhelming," admitted a Railway Board official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The desperation to board packed trains has led to dangerous clashes with reserved passengers locking their doors to keep out the encroaching crowds. This has, in turn, sparked violent retaliation, leading to the destruction of train coaches.

At Madhubani and Samastipur stations, enraged Kumbh Mela devotees vandalised six air-conditioned coaches of the Jayanagar-New Delhi Swatantrata Senani Express. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has since arrested four people and lodged two FIRs, Samastipur RPF commandant S J S Jani said.
Meanwhile, in Muzaffarpur and Ara, passengers turned unruly, causing damage to railway property. "The railways has registered cases under RPF Section 153 for damage to railway property. We are keeping a close watch, but controlling such large crowds is proving to be a challenge," said Danapur RPF senior commandant Prakash Kumar Panda.
Sonepur divisional railway manager (DRM) Vivek Bhushan Sood said tensions escalate when reserved passengers refuse to open doors for those without tickets. "Fortunately, Sonepur division has so far been spared from acts of vandalism," he said, though he admitted that railway security personnel remain on high alert.
The numbers paint a picture of a crisis unlike anything the Indian Railways has ever handled. Back in 1954, the first post-independence Kumbh Mela saw 50 lakh devotees with the railways operating just 36 special trains. This year, however, the scale is astronomical — 13,000 special trains have already been deployed and between Jan 13 and Feb 26, an estimated 400 million pilgrims are expected to travel by rail.
Despite operating at maximum capacity, the railway network is buckling under the pressure. Pilgrims endure long delays, packed platforms and insufficient facilities at major stations like Prayagraj and Patna. "The situation is unbearable. We are waiting for hours in long queues, there are hardly any sanitation facilities and there is no crowd management at all," said Satyadeo Prasad, a frustrated passenger from Patna.
According to sociologists, such chaos creates the perfect breeding ground for miscreants. "Acts of vandalism are more frequent in eastern India as this region has the highest number of daily train operations. The railway network here is the busiest since the inception of Indian Railways," said Amitesh Mukhopadhyay, professor of sociology at Jadavpur University.
He added that high-security trains like Vande Bharat and Rajdhani Express remain relatively safe while other trains with fewer security personnel become easy targets. "Unauthorised travelling and irregular boarding make these trains vulnerable. It all comes down to security," he said.
Mukhopadhyay pointed out that criminals exploit large gatherings to loot passengers. "People carry valuable items during festivals. Miscreants see this as an opportunity to spread fear and take advantage of the disorder," he added.
As the festival enters its peak phase, the question looms – how long can the railways sustain this pressure before something even more catastrophic happens? With tempers flaring, passengers growing desperate and the authorities struggling to maintain order, the very fabric of India's railway system is being tested like never before.