BT, Mathura: The city of Mathura, known as the birthplace of Lord Krishna, is bustling with festivities for Krishna Janmashtami 2024. The city is ablaze with celebration as processions and tableaux fill the streets. Devotees from around the world have converged in Mathura to join the celebrations. With over 5,000 temples across the city, Mathura is set to welcome Lord Krishna’s birth. To accommodate the influx of pilgrims, the railways have scheduled 300 trains to Mathura-Vrindavan. It is anticipated that over 5 million devotees will seek Krishna’s blessings on August 26-27.
Chief Minister’s Special Announcement
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will visit Mathura to mark the occasion. The CM will launch the celebrations by releasing a large balloon to commemorate Laddu Gopal’s 5,251st birthday. During his visit, which will last nearly two hours, CM Yogi will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate 178 projects worth ₹1,037 crore at the Panchjanya Auditorium. He will also inaugurate projects under the Smart City scheme, from Rangnath Temple to Bada Bagh.
Transportation and Logistics
Mathura, with its three railway stations, is well-connected for the festivities. More than 300 trains from across the country are arriving in Mathura. The North Central Railway has extended six train services for the Janmashtami festival. The North Eastern Railway’s Mathura Cantt Station services routes from Bareilly, Kathgodam, Kasganj, and Achnera, while Mathura Junction handles trains from Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Chennai routes. The North Central Railway station sees over 300 trains daily.
Increased Bus Services
To handle the large number of pilgrims, the government has arranged over 350 additional buses. Normally, 170 buses operate, but the surge in visitors has necessitated this increase. Buses are available from Mathura Bus Stand to routes including Delhi-Agra, Rajasthan, and Haryana. Additional services from the Old Bus Depot cover Kasganj, Bareilly, Hathras, Aligarh, and Uttarakhand. The Gokul Restaurant Bus Depot offers routes to Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
Security and Crowd Management
The main celebrations for Krishna Janmashtami are centered around the Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple in Mathura. The Banke Bihari Temple is also a major attraction. To manage the large crowds, 300 police officers have been deployed specifically for crowd control. Measures are in place to handle excessive crowds, including barriers at Jugalghat and Gautampada. Devotees will need to walk 200 meters from designated drop-off points at Jugalghat, Vidyapeeth Chauraha, and Dusayat Mohalla to reach the temple, where shoe storage facilities are provided.
