Goa CM impressed by grandeur of Maha Kumbh, flags off special train

Panaji / Mahakumbh Nagar: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant expressed his admiration for the extensive services provided to both saints and the general public at the Maha Kumbh 2025.

Dr Sawant congratulated Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for successfully organising such a grand event in Prayagraj. He highlighted the immense challenge of managing arrangements for over 40 crore people and praised the Uttar Pradesh government for its efficient execution. “On behalf of the Government of Goa, we extend our best wishes to the Government of Uttar Pradesh for this historic event,” he stated.

The Goa CM made these remarks while flagging off the first pilgrimage train to Prayagraj under the state government’s ‘Mukhyamantri Dev Darshan Yatra Yojana’ on Thursday. He lauded the arrangements made for the Maha Kumbh, emphasising that the event is globally recognized as a major spiritual gathering. “Ensuring the smooth organisation of an event of this magnitude is a challenging task, and Yogi Adityanath ji has executed it excellently. We are proud to provide the pilgrims of Goa an opportunity to participate in this holy event,” he added.

Dr Sawant further noted that the Maha Kumbh reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of integrating development with heritage. He appreciated PM Modi’s initiative of “Heritage also, Development also”, stating that it is crucial to work towards national progress while preserving cultural heritage.

“Prime Minister Modi has done remarkable work in this direction. Our goal should be to introduce our heritage to future generations and move towards a developed India by 2047,” he remarked.

Meanwhile, two additional pilgrimage trains have been scheduled for the 13th and 21st of February under the Mukhyamantri Dev Darshan Yatra Yojana. These special trains, operated in collaboration with Konkan Railway Corporation Limited, aim to facilitate devotees traveling to the Maha Kumbh. The first of the three scheduled trains was flagged off in the presence of Goa Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant, Social Welfare Minister Subhash Faldesai, Goa BJP President Damu Naik and other dignitaries. To ensure a smooth travel experience, the additional trains will depart from Madgaon Railway Station at 8 AM on February 13 and February 21. Each train will accommodate up to 1,000 pilgrims. Eligible passengers aged 18 to 60 without medical issues can book seats on a first-come, first-serve basis.

This initiative aims to enable more devotees from Goa to experience the spiritual and cultural significance of Maha Kumbh 2025.