UP: Vindhyachal Railway Station in Prayagraj to see enhanced services, amenities during Navratri

Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 29 (ANI): In view of the upcoming Navratri festivities, the North Central Railway (NCR) has announced a series of passenger-centric upgrades at Vindhyachal Railway Station in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj division to manage the festive rush.
With the annual Navratri fair around the corner, extra coaches, special stoppages, and five new ticket counters are being added to manage the heavy passenger rush to the sacred shrine of Vindhyavasini Mata.
Shashikant Tripathi, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of NCR, spoke to ANI and said, "Vindhyachal is a vital religious station as thousands visit the revered Vindhyavasini Mata temple, especially during Navratri. To facilitate the increased passenger flow, five regular trains will now have additional stoppages at Vindhyachal station."
In a key move to enhance convenience, two general coaches will be added to the Triveni Express and Chopan-Prayagraj Express during the Navratri period.
Tripathi added that this would allow more passengers to board or deboard at the station and also make reservations.
To further ease travel during the religious event, five new ticket counters will be set up at the station.
"We are also providing improved toilet and bathroom facilities, a lost and found center, and an enquiry desk to ensure a smooth experience for devotees and passengers," the CPRO added.
Meanwhile, ahead of Navratri, the Varanasi Municipal Corporation has announced that all meat shops in the city will remain closed and that the move, approved by the executive board, will be backed by awareness campaigns and enforcement drives during the festival.
Municipal Commissioner Akshat Verma spoke to ANI and said that preparations are underway to enforce the order.
"As per the decision taken by the executive board, we have decided that the meat shops in the municipal area will remain closed during Navratri. We are working to implement that," Verma said.
To ensure compliance, the civic body will first launch a public awareness campaign."We have our vans that will move around the city to monitor the situation. If any meat shops are found open during the period, we will take appropriate action," he added.
Navratri, which means 'nine nights' in Sanskrit, is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga and her nine avatars, known as Navdurga.
Hindus observe four Navratris throughout the year, but only two- Chaitra Navratri and Shardiya Navratri- are widely celebrated, as they coincide with the changing of the seasons.
The nine-day festival, which is also known as Rama Navratri, ends on Rama Navami, Lord Ram's birthday. All nine days of Navratri are devoted to honouring the nine incarnations of the goddess Shakti.
In 2025, Eid-ul-Fitr and Chaitra Navratri, a Hindu festival, are likely to overlap, with Eid potentially falling on March 30 or 31, and Navratri beginning on March 30 and ending on April 7. (ANI)