Railways to run 44 special trains for Jharkhand's Mahadevshal Dham during Shravan
South Eastern Railway has announced special arrangements for this year's Shravani Mela, introducing temporary halts for 22 pairs of trains at Mahadevshal Railway Station to
South Eastern Railway has announced special arrangements for this year's Shravani Mela, introducing temporary halts for 22 pairs of trains at Mahadevshal Railway Station to facilitate the movement of lakhs of devotees visiting Baba Mahadevshal Dham. The special stoppages will remain in effect from July 30 to August 28, 2026, allowing pilgrims from Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar and Chhattisgarh to reach the shrine more conveniently during the holy month of Shravan. Read Full Story Baba Mahadevshal Dham, located amid the Saranda forests in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district near Goilkera, witnesses a massive influx of Shiva devotees every Shravan. Thousands undertake the pilgrimage to offer prayers and perform Jalabhishek at the temple, prompting the Railways to make additional travel arrangements every year to handle the seasonal rush.
According to the Chakradharpur Division of the South Eastern Railway, a total of 22 pairs of trains—comprising 11 pairs of Express services and 11 pairs of MEMU trains—will make temporary two-minute stops at Mahadevshal station during the mela period. The move is expected to significantly reduce travel time for pilgrims by enabling them to alight directly at the station closest to the temple instead of relying on connecting transport. Among the major trains that will halt at Mahadevshal are the Danapur-Durg Express, Howrah-Titlagarh Ispat Express, Howrah-Kantabanji Ispat Express, Puri-Yog Nagari Rishikesh Express, Howrah-Jagdalpur Sambaleshwari Express, Tatanagar-Ernakulam Express, Tatanagar-Itwari Express and Tatanagar-Bilaspur Express. The list also includes Saranda MEMU services, Tatanagar-Rourkela MEMU trains and the Bamra-Rourkela Weekly Express, with specific services beginning their temporary stoppages from August 1 and August 2.
Railway authorities have also announced a series of passenger amenities to manage the expected surge in footfall. Temporary ticket booking counters, drinking water facilities, improved lighting, sanitation arrangements and enhanced security measures will be put in place at Mahadevshal station throughout the fair period. Aditya Chaudhary, Public Relations Officer and Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of the Chakradharpur Railway Division, said personnel from the Commercial Department, Railway Protection Force (RPF) and other railway wings would remain deployed to assist passengers and ensure smooth operations during the mela. He also urged devotees to travel with valid tickets and cooperate with railway staff to ensure hassle-free journeys. The Railways expects the initiative to benefit pilgrims from several eastern and central Indian states by providing direct rail access to the religious site during one of the busiest pilgrimage seasons.
The BriefWire