RailEnquiry

Chandigarh : The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is all set to launch a five-day special Sikh pilgrimage train from July 25.The 15-bogie train would have three air-conditioned coaches, besides 12 three-tier sleeper coaches, which would carry 1,100  passengers.IRCTC's Chief Regional Manager RK Sondh said the train would start from Sirhind on July 25 at 8 am and reach Nanded the next day at 4 pm after crossing Mohali, Chandigarh, Ambala, Karnal, Panipal, Delhi and Manmad in Maharashtra.Sondh said the five-day tour had been specially designed to woo Sikh devotees living in Sirhind, Khanna, Malerkotla, Ludhiana, Patiala, Rajpura, Ropar and Mohali who wished to visit TakhSachkhand Sahib at Nanded. “Passengers will be given free meals, accommodation and transportation facilities during the trip,” he said.He said those on the waiting list of the Sachkhand train from Amritsar to Nanded could also avail the services of the new train. Those interested could book their seats at IRCTC’s office at Sector 34, Chandigarh, or contact IRCTC assistant manager (Tourism) Kailash Hatwalkar on his cell no. 9779240600.Meanwhile, 220 of the 400 seats have already been booked on a special train to seven ‘jyotirlingas’ in the South. The train would leave on July 16 under the IRCTC’s Bharat Darshan programme.Devotees will be able to pay obeisance at the seven ‘jyotirlingas’, including at Mahakaleshwar, Grishneshwar and Bhimashankar. The train will pass through Ambala, Moradabad, Ujjain and Dwarika.