With lakhs of pilgrims gathering for the Gangasagar Mela, the state transport department and the Eastern Railway’s Sealdah division has made special arrangements to handle the extra rush of passengers. As informed by transport minister Snehasis Chakraborty today, the department would run around 2,500 buses for the pilgrims along with 32 vessels, 100 launches and six barges. “The additional bus services would be operated from 11 January and would be continued till the mela is over,” informed the minister.

“During the fair, we would be operating over 4,600 government and private buses,” added the minister. As elucidated by the other officials of the department, in addition, 70 vessels would also be operated from Namkhana by private operators. For those wishing to visit various temples in buses, the department would run 8 tourist buses from Kalighat and Outram Ghat. The department is also in talks with a private online app cab aggregator that would provide prepaid taxi services from Outram Ghat.

A special control room would also be opened where officials of the department would be deployed. Like the transport department, Sealdah division of the Eastern Railway would also be running special trains for the mela pilgrims. To cater to the expected surge in passenger traffic, Sealdah division will be running over 12 special trains to and from Namkhana and Kakdwip for Sagar Island during the period. The services would be in addition to the existing ones. Even before the peak mela days, the division would run extra services from 12 January by operating around nine more specials.

The additional services would be continued beyond 15 January and the division would run extra specials on 16 January. Furthermore, the division would extend services. The services from Sealdah to Sonarpur and Sealdah to Lakshmikantapur would be extended till Namkhana. Holding areas for the pilgrims would also be arranged at Sealdah, Kakdwip and Namkhana for the pilgrims to enable pilgrims to wait for the train in that area. Additional ticket counters at Sealdah, Namkhana, Kakdwip and Kolkata.

At the EMU carshed at Sonarpur, additional rakes would be kept on standby to be used if need arises. Meanwhile, the department announced running of 200 additional services for the upcoming International Kolkata Book Fair, which would begin from 18 to 31 January. The services are to be operated from 3pm to 10pm, connecting important points like Sealdah, Howrah station, various parts of Behala, Garia, Tollygunge, Barasat, Barrackpore, Jadavpur, Ultadanga, Barasat, Dankuni, Santragachi and so on.

The department is also considering providing pre-paid taxi services for the book fair commuters. To curb issues of auto drivers fleecing commuters, fare charts are to be put up at crucial auto stands including Ultandanga and inside the three wheelers.