Title - Jammu-Nanded train to make its last journey on Nov 26

AMRITSAR: Sudden withdrawal of Jammu-Nanded special train by the railway department has disappointed Sikhs, especially NRIs, keen on pilgrimage to Takht Hazur Sahib, Nanded, Maharashtara.The train was a convenient mode of travel for Sikhs from Jammu to Nanded via Amritsar for performing religious services since the Sachkhand Express, running daily between Amritsar-Nanded, was always overbooked, Gurtej Singh Arora of Vikas Travels told TOI on Monday. He said that due to heavy rush of NRIs during these months they were finding it hard to travel to Nanded.Divisional railway manager, Ferozepur division, Naresh Chander Goyal said the Jammu-Nanded train would make its last journey on November 26. Since it was a special train, it was up to the railway ministry to decide about extending it, he said.The tenth Sikh master, Guru Gobind Singh, had breathed his last at Hazur Sahib, where there is now a heavy rush of NRIs to pay obeisance. Manroop Singh of K S Travels said they had also tried to contact several airlines to begin a direct flight from Amritsar but nothing fruitful has come out of it.Ravinder Singh, who was at Amritsar railway station along with his family members for booking tickets to Nanded, said, "We are very disappointed with the withdrawal of special Jammu-Nanded train. Only six tickets are available in Sachkhand Express for Nanded, that too in the last week of February." He said that they have now decided to meet Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Avtar Singh Makkar, to urge him to use his influence to persuade the railway ministry to not withdraw the train.Harpreet Singh, from Houston in US, who is on a pilgrimage to India along with his family, said, "I had made my programme accordingly, but now my tour is totally upset because of the sudden withdrawal of this special train."