Eastern railway to run special trains during Shravani Mela

Bhagalpur: The Eastern Railway (ER) has made preparations for the month-long Shravani Mela that is scheduled to start on July 11. The ER has made arrangements of special trains so that pilgrims reach Sultanganj railway station. Pilgrims reach Sultanganj (Bhagalpur) from across the nation and neighbouring countries to fetch holy water from the Ganga river and start their trek barefoot to Baidyanath Dham temple in Deoghar (Jharkhand) to pay obeisance to Lord Shiva.The ER has also directed additional stoppages at Sultanganj railway station for the existing mail and express trains running on the Sahibganj-Bhagalpur-Jamalpur railway section under the Malda railway division of ER during the Shravani Mela.During the Shravani Mela, approximately 55 to 60 lakh pilgrims visit Sultanganj. It is expected that the number will increase this year.Divisional railway manager (DRM), Malda Division of ER, Manish Kumar Gupta, said during the Shravani Mela pilgrims prefer to take the railway route to reach Sultanganj. He said the special train (03480/03479) Jamalpur-Sultanganj-Jamalpur Shravani Mela passenger special will run from July 11 to Aug 9, 2025, to facilitate movement of the pilgrims.The Mela special train (03480) will leave Jamalpur at 9.05am to reach Sultanganj at 10.45am, besides Sultanganj-Jamalpur Shravani Mela passenger special (03479) will leave Sultanganj at 11.15am to reach Jamalpur at 12.40pm on the same day. The DRM added that the special train will stop at all stations between Jamalpur and Sultanganj.Another special train, Jamalpur-Deoghar-Jamalpur Shravani Mela passenger special (03442/03441) will run every Sunday between July 13 and Aug 10. The Jamalpur-Deoghar Shravani Mela passenger special (03442) will leave Jamalpur at 5.10am to reach Deoghar at 10.10am, and the Deoghar-Jamalpur Shravani Mela (03441) passenger special will leave Deoghar at 3.45pm to reach Jamalpur at 10.05pm on the same day, he added.Similarly, Deoghar-Godda-Deoghar Shravani Mela passenger special (03444/03443) will run every Sunday between July 13 and Aug 10. The Deoghar-Godda Shravani Mela passenger special (03444) will leave Deoghar at 10.45am to reach Godda at 12.40pm, and the Godda-Deoghar Shravani Mela passenger special (03443) will leave Godda at 1.15pm to reach Deoghar at 3.05pm on the same day.