The Indian Railways has postponed the launch of special Aastha trains for pilgrims visiting the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, initially scheduled for January 25th, due to overcrowding concerns. This decision was made after CCTV surveillance at Ayodhya railway station revealed heavy footfall. The temple town's borders were sealed on January 24th,...
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and Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged ministers to defer their visits due to the massive influx of pilgrims. The Aastha trains were intended to connect 66 locations across India and facilitate pilgrimage to Ayodhya, with 66 rakes (each containing 20 coaches) deployed. Ticket bookings were handled through district-level officers and were not available through the Passenger Reservation System. Passengers who have already booked will be accommodated when the trains resume operations in February, though the specific date is yet to be confirmed.