HYDERABAD: With one of the most popular gatherings in the country, Ganga Pushkaralu taking place from April 22 to May 3, devotees from Hyderabad who are planning to have a holy dip in the Ganges, are checking various travel options before them.
A majority of the devotees prefer to travel by train which takes about 24 hours to reach Varanasi railway station which is nearest to Hyderabadis for Ganga Pushkaralu. But there is only one train (No. 12791) Secunderabad-Danapur Express, which already has a waiting list of 250 in sleeper class and close to 100 in AC during April and May and chances for ticket confirmation for those who book tickets are bleak.
There is a huge demand from devotees for Pushkaralu special trains as thousands of them are waiting to book the tickets and plan accordingly. Usually, Indian Railways allow passengers to book the tickets four months prior to their journey and so far there has been no announcement on the operation of special trains. Sources from SCR confirmed that they have not received any information on special trains towards Allahabad and Varanasi.
Rakesh Sharma, a devotee from SR Nagar said that he cannot afford to fly to Varanasi with his family members and wants to travel by train in sleeper class. “I have been regularly looking at IRCTC on special fare trains so that I could book tickets before they are sold out like hot cakes. I request Indian Railways to operate a few special trains,” he said.
Ganga Pushkarlu comes once in every 12 years. It is held at Gangotri, Gangasagar, Haridwar, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Varanasi and Allahabad.The government is already preparing bathing ghats along the entire Ganga river bank so that pilgrims can perform their rituals.
Meanwhile, the South Central Railway is operating weekly special trains between Secunderabad and Gorakhpur, Subedhargunj, Agartala, Dibrugarh in April and May. These trains would be in a combination of general, sleeper and AC classes.