NEW DELHI: Delhi’s Safdarjung railway station on Sunday was decorated with flowers and red carpets were rolled out to accord a warm welcome to people travelling by the first AC deluxe tourist train to religious places associated with Lord Ram under the Ramayan Circuit.
From the station entry to the coaches, cutouts of Lord Ram were put up to give a feel of religiosity to the tourists. The train carrying 132 tourists started the first Ramayan Circuit yatra under the centre’s ‘Swadesh Darshan Scheme’.
Covering a distance of more than 7,500 km, the train will take the pilgrims to all the important places associated with Lord Ram such as Ayodhya, Prayag, Nandigram, Janakpur, Chitrakoot, Sitamarhi, Nasik, Hampi and Rameshwaram.
The IRCTC has started this yatra service by the train that is equipped with ultra modern onboard facilities like first- class restaurants, library and shower cubicles. Darshana Jardosh, Minister of State for Railways, said the first Ramayan Circuit train was an innovative effort of the Indian Railways.
“At the first stoppage at Ayodhya, the pilgrims will be taken to have a darshan of Ram Lalla and the Hanumangarhi. The train will then move on to Sitamarhi in Bihar where Sita was born. The passengers will also be taken to the Ram-Janaki temple in Nepal,” a IRCTC source said.
Railway has plans to run three more Ramayan Circuit trains this month and another on January 20. The IRCTC has charged a fare of Rs 1,02,095 per passenger for AC first class and Rs 82,950 for AC second class. The fares include the cost of food and other services.