Title - IRCTC to run two special trains in Aug

PUNE: The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd (IRCTC) will run special trains in August from Pune to well-known tourist destinations in southern and northern parts of the country.The Dakshin Darshan special train will leave Pune on August 7 and cover destinations including Goa, Tirupati, Rameshwaram, Madurai, Kanyakumari and Trivandrum, the IRCTC said. The Uttar Darshan train will leave on August 29, and cover tourist places such as Vadodara, Agra, Haridwar, Amritsar and Vaishnodevi. Both the trips will be of 10 days each. The IRCTC will take care of food and stay at hotels during the journey.The IRCTC has also planned to add a coach from Pune to the weekly train from Mumbai to Tirupati. An official said there are large number of enquiries for train services to Tirupati. The train runs on Fridays. The package includes stay at hotel at the destination and return journey.Bookings and additional information on these trains are available on www.railtourismindia.com.The IRCTC initiatives in the tourism sector have received significant response from tourists over the past three years, the official said. Pune and surrounding areas hold good potential for tourism activities. The IRCTC is taking steps to cater to these requirements by introducing special tourist trains.An official said that the IRCTC is also considering special packages for families and groups.