The country observed the 62nd Mahaparinirvana Diwas (Punya Dithi), which marks the death anniversary of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, on Thursday, 6 December.
On this day, lakhs of followers of the Dalit icon travel from across the country to visit the Chaityabhoomi in central Mumbai, where Dr Ambedkar was cremated, every year to pay their tributes.
Dr Ambedkar, also known as the Father of the Indian Constitution, died on 6 December 1956.
People decorate the Chaityabhoomi using flowers, garlands, and candles. A large crowd gathers at the Parliament, where his statue is installed, to pay homage to the leader. Some even sing sacred songs in Ambedkar’s remembrance.
Railways Prepares For ‘Mahaparinirvan Diwas’ Rush
The Indian Railways has made elaborate arrangements to deal with the heavy rush of passengers travelling to Mumbai on the occasion.
Apart from operating extra trains, the Central Railway (CR) and the Western Railway (WR) have made arrangements for crowd management to cater to the rush.
The CR is operating 14 special long-distance trains and as many extra suburban services, according to a press release.
“Three special trains will run from Nagpur to CSMT and six trains from CSMT/Dadar to Sewagram/Ajni/Nagpur. Another special train will ply between Ajni station and CSMT, and two trains between Solapur and CSMT. Moreover, two special trains will be operated between Adilabad and Dadar stations.”
WR Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Ravinder Bhakar said various arrangements were being made to ensure hassle-free commute for passengers.
"Apart from setting up several help desks and directional signage boards at prominent stations, adequate RPF/GRP staff has been deployed to monitor crowd movement at suburban stations, especially at the foot overbridges," he said.
“The staffers can guide people as they have all the information regarding timing and transport arrangements to/from the Chaitya Bhoomi. Additional ticket booking counters will be operated during 5-7 December. Train movement will be monitored closely.”Ravinder Bhakar, Western Railways
Arrangements for drinking water, catering, first aid etc are being put in place by the CR and WR at CSMT, Dadar, Mahim, Churchgate, Thane, Andheri, Kalyan and Borivali railway stations in Mumbai.
The disaster management system is also put in place.
(With inputs from PTI)
(Correction: An earlier version of this article had an error in its description of the demise of BR Ambedkar. A correction was made at 1800 hours on 6 December 2018. The error is regretted.)
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