Indian Railways has collaborated with Chaincode Consulting to issue NFT-based tickets for passengers travelling to Prayagraj city of Uttar Pradesh state in India for MahaKumbh Mela, a Hindu festival and pilgrimage which is held once every 12 years.
The blockchain firm Chaincode Consulting announced on January 13, on its X handle (previously known as Twitter) about the partnership with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to digitalize the spiritual journey of millions of travelers heading to MahaKumbh pilgrimage in India. Over 450 million devotees are expected to arrive at Prayagraj city for pilgrimage in MahaKumbh.
The NFTs of MahaKumbh will be based over the Polygon blockchain and made available to passengers via the real-world assets (RWAs) and traceability platform NFTtrace, said officials privy to the development.
About 1.2 million train tickets are booked on the IRCTC website daily. The NFT-based obligation drive aims to attract participants globally to MahaKumbh. Several X users including influential crypto figures celebrated the announcement, calling it a step towards further crypto and NFT adoption in India.
According to recent reports, the Polygon blockchain was chosen for its action and its faster throughput and low gas fees, allowing for “scalability and environmental sustainability.”
The firm said that the customized NFTs issued by Indian Railways can be verified on the blockchain by authorities and the public. The company has already maintained the records of train ticket purchases on the Hyperledger blockchain and has also engaged smart contracts to administrate and control the traceability process.
According to the reports, celebrities like actor Richard Gere, movie director David Lynch and Tibetan Buddhist leader Dalai Lama, Laurene Jobs, widow of Steve Jobs of Apple will attend the 2025 pilgrimage.
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