PANAJI
In a major crackdown on ticketless and non-registered travellers to Maha Kumbh, the Goa government officials prevented three foreigners and 17 Bihar natives from using the special trains under the Mukhyamantri Dev Darshan Yatra Yojana, meant exclusively for Goan devotees.
Government sources told The Goan that the Bihar natives, who neither registered with the government for the pilgrimage nor carried valid identity proof, were de-boarded at Chiplun railway station after being caught by patrolling officials of the Social Welfare Department.
The three foreign nationals, on the other hand, were intercepted at Margao railway station before the train departure.
“During the second trip to Prayagraj, officials identified 20 unauthorised passengers. The three foreigners, fervently chanting ‘Om Namah Shivay’ and ‘Jai Mahadev,’ insisted on travelling to the spiritual congregation. However, as per protocol, Social Welfare officials ensured they were alighted at the Margao station before the train’s departure,” sources said.
Once the journey commenced, thorough checks in each coach revealed the presence of 17 other unauthorised passengers – from Bihar, who occupied seats without any ticket or registration. “They did not provide their valid identity proof. For the safety of our registered pilgrims, they were de-boarded at Chiplun railway station,” the official stated, citing the importance of passenger security. A total of 18 Social Welfare officials are deployed to monitor the journey to and from Prayagraj.
So far, over 2,800 Goan pilgrims have availed benefits of the scheme, travelling on special trains that departed on February 6 and 13, with another scheduled for February 21. Given the overwhelming demand on the second trip, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is now considering additional trains to accommodate more devotees.
In contrast, the first train saw over 100-odd cancellations, possibly due to concerns owing to a stampede at Maha Kumbh on January 30. Of the 1,300 available seats, 1,191 were occupied with 109 last-minute cancellations.
On the second journey from Goa, the government added four extra coaches, expanding its capacity to 20 bogies – 14 AC and six non-AC – providing 1,600 sleeping berths and 20 additional seating spots.
Furthermore, a few doctors are also among the second batch of pilgrims, with their details shared with onboard officials for emergency assistance. The CM and other ministers, who flew to Prayagraj on Saturday, are expected to meet the Goan devotees at Maha Kumbh.
