Prayagraj: More than 16,000 trains were operated for the Maha Kumbh that carried around five crore devotees to the pilgrimage, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said here on Thursday.

Vaishnaw, who was here to congratulate the railway workers for the work done by them during the Maha Kumbh Mela, told reporters that in the last Kumbh in 2019, about 4,000 trains were operated.

“This time there was a plan to run more than three times as many trains, while four times as many trains were run. Work has been going on for this for two-and-a-half years,” he said.

The minister said, “4.5 to 5 crore passengers were brought to Maha Kumbh through more than 16,000 trains and they were taken to their destinations. I would like to thank all the railway workers who worked together.”

“The biggest achievement of this Maha Kumbh is that all the departments of the State and the Centre and the employees of the railways worked together. In this way, if we all become one, then no one can defeat us,” the minister said.

Vaishnaw said about Rs 5,000 crore was invested by the railways for the Maha Kumbh and more than 21 flyovers and underpasses were built, including the construction of a new bridge over the River Ganga.

“Also, holding areas were created at every station and proper arrangements were made for the passengers,” he said.

“During this time new types of foot over bridges were built. Railways made all kinds of arrangements keeping passengers in mind,” he said.

The Maha Kumbh that began on January 13 in Prayagraj concluded on February 26.