Gaya Railway Station is preparing for a massive influx of travellers as the annual Pitru Paksha period approaches. Indian Railways and local authorities are putting extensive arrangements in place to handle between 65,000 and 70,000 pilgrims daily from September 26 to October 10, 2026. Officials have organized diverse stay options, upgraded station infrastructure, and scheduled dedicated festival special trains to ensure a smooth travel experience for everyone arriving to perform ancestral rites.
- Accommodation for 12,000 pilgrims arranged across 44 locations in Gaya including schools and monasteries.
- 12 special train services introduced connecting Rani Kamlapati and Jabalpur to Gaya.
- Gaya Junction undergoing a 300-crore redevelopment project for airport-like amenities.
Gaya Junction is currently undergoing a massive
300-crore redevelopment project to provide airport-like amenities to travellers, featuring a
6,400-square-meter air concourse along with modern lifts and escalators. Assistant Divisional Engineer (Construction) Sudhir Sharma confirmed that two first-class waiting halls are being converted into air-conditioned facilities specifically for pilgrims. Furthermore, a new station entrance on the Delha side will be opened to regulate passenger congestion during peak festival hours. Accommodation facilities for
12,000 pilgrims have been established across
44 locations in Gaya, including local schools, colleges, guest houses, and monasteries. Notably, the Nigama Monastery in Bodhgaya is fully prepared to host
2,400 visitors.
To facilitate travel, Indian Railways has introduced
12 special train services connecting Rani Kamlapati and Jabalpur to Gaya. The Pitru Paksha Special, operating under
Train No. 01661/01662, will run
three trips in each direction. The Rani Kamlapati–Gaya service marked as
Train 01661 departs at
3:20 PM on September 27, October 2, and October 7, 2026, arriving the following day at
2:30 PM. The return journey via
Train 01662 departs Gaya at
3:30 PM on September 30, October 5, and October 10, reaching Rani Kamlapati at
4:15 PM the next day. Similar dedicated schedules support travellers coming from Jabalpur.
Top officials including Bihar State Assembly Speaker Prem Kumar and District Magistrate Shashank Shubhankar have personally reviewed these preparations, placing strong emphasis on passenger safety. Additional Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar has closely coordinated logistical planning to ensure uninterrupted drinking water, proper sanitation, and clear multilingual signage. Safety protocols involve deploying active Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, positioning medical teams with ambulances on standby, and installing multilingual digital boards across platforms. Additionally, the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC) has launched
46 tourism packages priced between 11,000 and 20,000 INR, alongside a convenient online 'Pind Daan' service available for
23,000 INR.
