Solapur Railway Division Ensures Smooth Journey for Ashadhi Fair Pilgrims

Quick Summary

• The Solapur Division of Central Railway facilitated the pilgrimage of over two lakh Warkari devotees during the Ashadhi Fair 2025 at Pandharpur, Maharashtra.
• From July 1 to July 10, 239 trains operated (121 special and 118 regular) to manage heavy traffic on a single-line section. Overcrowding was handled seamlessly during peak days (22 trains on July 6 and 18 trains on July 7).
• Safety measures ensured zero casualties or injuries with assistance from railway staff,security forces,and volunteers. Ticketing infrastructure expanded using Unreserved ticketing Systems (UTS),Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs),and Mobile UTS Terminals.
• Amenities included three holding zones, drinking water facilities, mobile toilets, passenger guidance boards across key locations in the city/station, enhanced security via CCTV and additional personnel deployment, indicator boards for train updates, standby power generators for uninterrupted electrical supply. Medical staff provided round-the-clock relief supported by ambulances; free drinking water and juice were distributed by state authorities.
• The operation relied heavily on coordination between different departments under Divisional Railway Manager Sujeet Mishra’s leadership alongside local supervision at Pandharpur station by railway officials such as Sr DCM Yogesh Patil.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The meticulous execution of logistics during the Ashadhi Fair underscores the importance of efficient planning in handling large-scale religious events involving lakhs of pilgrims traveling via public transport networks like Indian Railways. The success achieved by Solapur Division without any reported injuries speaks volumes about its comprehensive approach encompassing transportation management, safety standards enhancement technology integration like CCTV systems & ATVM upgrades improving essential services especially remotely located hubs smaller-scale stations typically impacted economically visible connectivity this impactful effort increasingly providing robustness reliable tourism-supported frameworks.

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