India’s quietest railway station opens only 15 days a year | Fusion - WeRIndia

India’s railway network is one of the largest in the world, serving millions daily.

It connects cities, towns, and even the most remote villages, making it the backbone of the nation’s transport system.

Yet, tucked away in Bihar’s Aurangabad district is a unique station that stands in stark contrast to this daily hustle, Anugrah Narayan Road Ghat Railway Station.

Located on the Mughalsarai-Gaya section of the Grand Chord line, this station falls under the Deendayal Upadhyaya Division of the East Central Railway.

Built during the British era, this station has remained mostly abandoned for the past 26 years. Surprisingly, not a single ticket has been sold here in all these years.

So why does Indian Railways continue to maintain a station where no one buys tickets? The answer lies in its religious significance.

Trains stop here only for 15 days each year, during the holy period of Pitru Paksha.

This is a time when thousands of people travel to nearby Gaya to perform rituals for their ancestors. During this short window, the station comes alive, briefly turning into a gateway for pilgrims.

Since there is no daily footfall, no regular staff is posted here. However, during Pitru Paksha, the Railways deploys 4-5 temporary workers to manage passenger needs and basic operations.

Outside of these days, the station remains locked, deserted, and silent.

Despite being unused for most of the year, the Indian Railways has not shut it down.

This shows a clear intent to support cultural and religious practices, even if they are limited to a few days annually.

It also reflects the Railways’ broader goal, to serve every Indian, whether in bustling cities or quiet villages.

For 15 days each year, Anugrah Narayan Road Ghat Railway Station fulfils its purpose.

It reminds us that in India, even a seemingly forgotten railway station can hold deep cultural importance, and that sometimes, tradition drives infrastructure as much as traffic does.

Image Credit: Sumita Roy Dutta, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Image Reference: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anugraha_Narayan_Road_rail_station_IMG_20200208_082300.jpg