Gaya: The district administration has stepped up crowd management and security at Gaya Junction as pilgrims began their return journeys after performing pind daan rituals. More than 46.7 lakh devotees from India and abroad visited Gaya during the ongoing Pitripaksh this year so far. The turnout, recorded through electronic foot-counting machines, has surpassed that of recent years.On Friday, district magistrate Shashank Shubhankar and senior superintendent of police Sushil Kumar inspected the platforms and outer premises of Gaya Junction to review passenger movement, security arrangements and basic facilities.The DM directed railway and district administration officials to maintain heightened vigilance over the next 48 hours in view of the large number of pilgrims expected to return home by train after completing pind daan and tarpan rituals. He asked officials to ensure smooth entry into the station, regulate crowds on platforms and make regular and clear announcements about train timings and platform numbers. He also directed personnel to assist elderly people, women and other pilgrims.The SSP reviewed the security arrangements and instructed officials of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Govt Railway Police (GRP) to take necessary measures to ensure the safety of devotees.Earlier in the day, the DM and SSP inspected the Vishnupad Temple area on the 14th day of Pitripaksh and helped officials regulate long queues of devotees. They remained at the site for nearly two hours, monitoring crowd management to facilitate darshan and the movement of pilgrims towards the ghats for ancestral rituals.Thousands of devotees performed pind daan and tarpan at Vaitarni pond on Friday. Senior Gayapal panda Gajadhar Lal Katariyar said that according to the Puranas and other religious scriptures, performing tarpan and godaan at Vaitarni Sarovar is believed to help ancestors attain heaven by crossing the path to Yampuri, the abode of Yama, the god of death.akumaar.teju@gmail.com
