New Delhi: Indian Railways is all set to re-launch two trains on the Ramayana Circuit, this year in November in order to cover the places associated with Lord Rama.
Owing to the successful runs of four packages of special tourist trains last year in 2018, on Ramayana Circuit, Indian Railways will be re-launching its two tour packages.
The two tourist trains will be run by Indian Railways Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) namely Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC). These packages are part of Bharat Darshan scheme of IRCTC.
The first such train by the name “Shri Ramayana Yatra” is scheduled to depart from Jaipur (Rajasthan) via Delhi on 3rd November 2019. The package also includes the option of visiting Ramayana related places in Srilanka for a limited number of seats. The other train by the name “Ramayana Express” is starting from Indore in Madhya Pradesh via Varanasi from 18th November 2019.
Shri Ramayana Yatra will start from Jaipur Railway Station with boarding / deboarding Stations at Alwar, Rewari, Delhi Safdarjung, Ghaziabad, Moradabad, Bareilly and Lucknow.
Ramayana Express will depart from Indore on November 18, 2019, with various boarding stations including-Indore, Dewas, Ujjain, Maksi, Shujalpur, Sehore, Bairagarh (Bhopal), Vidisha, Ganj Basoda, Bina, Lalitpur and Jhansi. Deboarding stations are Nagpur, Itarsi, Hoshangabad, Bairagarh (Bhopal), Sehore, Shujalpur, Maksi, Ujjain, Dewas and Indore.
One more such train is expected to depart from Madurai in the coming months.
When the first trip of these special trains was introduced last year on December 18, 2018, from Delhi Safdarjung Railway Station it generated a very good response and merely in a week’s time, this train attained 100% booking. Not only the Indian Part of Ramayana Trail, but the Srilankan Part also was operated with its utmost capacity. Based on the tremendous response of its 1st train, IRCTC had launched another such train from Jaipur, Rajkot and Madurai and all these tour packages were operated in full in the month of November 2018.
The tour starting on November 3, 2019, will be a 16 Nights -17 Days tour, tourists will be visiting the tourists’ places associated with Lord Ram also known as “Ramayana Circuit of India”.
Major places covered in this journey include Ram Janmbhoomi and Hanuman Garhi at Ayodhya, Bharat Mandir at Nandigram, Sita Mata Mandir at Sitamarhi (Bihar), and Janakpur (Nepal), Tulsi Manas Mandir and Sankat Mochan Mandir at Varanasi and Sita Samahit Sthal at Sitamarhi (UP).
Tourists will be offered vegetarian meals, accommodation and wash and change facilities in Dharamshala’s. All transfers and sightseeing arrangements at tourist places will be by non-AC buses. A dedicated tour manager of IRCTC will be travelling with the tourists during the entire tour.
The total capacity of the train will be 800 Seats. Per person fare for the trip from Jaipur in Shri
Ramayana Yatra, Tourist Train is Rs 16065 for the Indian Part of this tour covered by train.
Likewise, last year, to cover the tourist places of Ramayana Circuit of Srilanka along with the Indian Ramayana Circuit, tour to Srilanka will also be launched along with this trip, with 40 Seats only. This leg will be charged additionally at Rs 36950/- per person.
The tour starting on November 18, from Indore, will be of 14 nights and 15 days. Tour will cover Ayodhya- Sitamarhi- Janakpur- Varanasi- Prayagraj- Chitrakoot- Nasik- Hampi- Rameshwaram- Madurai.
Per person fare for the trip originating from Indore is Rs 17,325/- (3 AC class) and Rs 14,175/- (Sleeper class), which is inclusive of providing travel by train in 3 AC class/ 2nd Class Sleeper coach.
An exclusive trip covering only the Ramayana Trail of Srilanka is also under the horizon.
The online booking of Shri Ramayana Yatra and Ramayana Express Tourist Trains has already been commenced on IRCTC’s website under Bharat Darshan link. Booking of this train tour package can also be done at IRCTC’s Tourist Facilitation Centre available on PAN India basis.
The online booking for Srilanka part of the tour in the Shri Ramayana Yatra Tourist trains can also be booked through the above website and Facilitation Centres.
This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.
Source: Live Mint
Image Source: Financial Express