NEW DELHI: The Railways will run Samanta Express, a special train to mark the 128th birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar, from April next year covering Buddhist sites in India and Nepal, a senior official said Thursday.
The special tourist train would commence its journey on April 14, the birth anniversary of Dr Ambedkar, from Nagpur, Maharashtra, also known as 'Deekshabhoomi' where he adopted Buddhism with many of his supporters in 1956.
During the 12-day tour, chalked out by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), the train will cover important places connected to the life of Ambedkar, including his birthplace Mhow (Madhya Pradesh), Mumbai and various other places associated with Buddhism such as Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar and Lumbini in Nepal.
It will offer a tour package that will include rail journey, road transfers and sightseeing in buses, accommodation in Dharamshala and pure vegetarian food in an all-inclusive price of Rs 11,340 per person.
The train tour package of 'Samanta Express' will be available for online booking in the tourism website of the IRCTC from December 10, 2018.
The tour package can also be booked offline at any of the offices of IRCTC across the country.