Title - Rajkot gets yet another train to temple town

The city got its eighth train to the temple town of Somnath, with Rajkot MP Kunvarji Bavalia flagging off the Rajkot-Somnath local train from the city on Sunday morning.

Bavalia gave the nod to the train from Platform 4 at the Rajkot railway junction at 11 am in the presence of Congress MLA from Rajkot East, Indranil Rajyaguru and Rajkot divisional railway manager (DRM) Viany Babtiwale. "There has been a demand for this train from passengers and various organisations. We expect to see good passenger traffic on the new train," Babtiwale said.

The new train will leave Rajkot junction at 5.20 am every morning and reach Somnath at 10.20 am. On its return journey, the train will leave Somnath at 11 am and arrive at Rajkot at 3.55 pm, an official release said.

Railway officials said the train has been sanctioned by the Union Railway Ministry and the Railway Board after representation from Bavalia, a Congress MP.

In the rail budget 2013-14, Rajkot division was not awarded a single new train. However, following representation by the MP, the division was allocated Rajkot-Somnath local train, while the Morbi-Wankaner DEMU train was extended till Rajkot.

Besides, a new super-fast weekly train, Rajkot Nizamuddin, and a weekly Okha Nathdwara were also announced.

This will be the city's eighth train and the third one exclusively connecting the city to Somnath in Junagadh district. Before the new train, Dwarka-Somnath (12.50 am), Ahmedabad-Veraval Express (2.30 am), Rajkot-Somnath (7.50 am and 6.20 pm) Saurashtra mail (11.15 am), Jabalpur-Somnath (1.15 pm), Ahmedabad-Somnath intercity (3.15 pm) have been plying on this route.