Varanasi, Feb 17: For the first time, the Indian Railways has reserved a seat for a deity on a train. The national transporter, which launched its third IRCTC operated train named Kashi Mahakal Express from Varanasi to Indore, has reserved a seat for Lord Mahakal (Lord Shiva) on board.
Speaking to media, Northern Railway spokesperson Deepak Kumar said: "It is for the first time that a seat has been left reserved for a deity."
"One seat in Kashi Mahakal Express (seat number 64 in B5 coach) has been left reserved for Lord Shiva," he said.
"Even a temple has been drawn on the seat to make people aware that the seat is reserved for Lord Mahakal," he said.
IRCTC's Director, Tourism, Rajni Hasija said that the practice would continue beyond the inaugural run.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Kashi Mahakal Express via video conferencing from Varanasi, where he is all launched several projects worth Rs 1,250 crore during the day's visit to his parliamentary constituency.
The third IRCTC train, after the two Tejas Express trains on New Delhi-Lucknow and Mumbai-Ahmedabad routes, the Kashi Mahakal Express will connect three places -- Jyotirlinga-Omkareshwar (near Indore), Mahakaleshwar (Ujjain) and Kashi Vishwanath (at Varanasi).
Also connecting the industrial and educational hub of Indore, with Bhopal, the train will begin its commercial run from February 20.
"The Kashi Mahakal Express will operate three days in a week and it will be a bi-weekly service through the Sultanpur-Lucknow route and a weekly service via the Prayagraj route," Kumar said.
Elaborating on the two routes from which the train will pass every week, Hasija said: "Once the new train starts its regular run from this week, it will depart from Varanasi at 2.45 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday to reach Indore at 9.40 a.m. on Wednesday and Friday.
Similarly, the train will start from Indore at 10.55 a.m. every Wednesday and Friday and will reach Varanasi at 6.00 a.m. the next day. This train will have stoppages at Ujjain, Sant Hirdaram Nagar, Bina, Jhansi, Kanpur and Sultanpur stations in both directions.
Meanwhile, in the weekly service via Prayagraj route, the Kashi Mahakal Express will depart from Varanasi at 3.15 p.m. every Sunday to reach Indore at 9.40 a.m. the next day. On the other way, it will depart from Indore at 10.55 a.m. every Monday and reach Varanasi at 5 a.m. the next day.
"This train will halt at Ujjain, Sant Hirdaram Nagar, Bina, Jhansi, Kanpur and Allahabad stations in both directions," Kumar said.
Explaining the fares of the Kashi Mahakal Express, Hasija said, "Kashi Mahakal Express will follow a dynamic fare structure like the other two Tejas Express trains."
One-way journey from Varnasi to Indore will cost Rs 1,951, inclusive of four meals.
According to the IRCTC officials, the Indore-Varanasi Kashi Mahakal Express will be the first private train that will run overnight and for a comfortable long distance journey, will feature a host of facilities. The IRCTC will serve vegetarian food, and provide housekeeping services, on-board security services and bedrolls.
The IRCTC officials said that passengers will also get complementary insurance of Rs 10 lakh.
The train will have an advance reservation period of 120 days and will only have the general and foreign tourist quotas. The current booking will be available to the passengers on the platform itself after preparation of first chart, four hours to five minutes before the scheduled departure of the train.
To facilitate travel for pilgrims, the IRCTC is also introducing special tour packages for passengers who want to see the pilgrim centres enroute. The tour options are; Mahakal Darshan (Ujjain - Omkareshwar), Bhopal-Sanchi-Bhimbetka, Malwa Jyotrilinga Darshan (Ujjain-Omkareshwar- Maheshwar- Indore) and Bhopal-Sanchi-Bhimbetka-Ujjain. Other tour options include Kashi, Ayodhya and Prayag; Kashi Darshan; Kashi, Prayag, Ayodhya; Kashi and Prayag and only Kashi.
The train has silent features like CCTV cameras, which will be monitored online around the clock from the IRCTC centres, whereas for the first time the IRCTC has brought the marshals in the train for passengers safety and also to make people aware to not smoke inside the train as it has smoke and heat sensors installed in the coaches as well as in the bathroom. For the blind passengers, the train coaches have the seat numbers written in Braille, and the catering staff will be dressed in yellow kurta-pyjamas with a rudraksh malas on their necks to promote the train's theme.
Comments
my dear hindu brother and sister dont blive in RSS they are not fighting for hindus they are fight to bring back the bristish rule bcoz they love thm bcoz they get everything wht they frm thm so they want thm back thz the reason they celebrate birth anniversry of killer our father of our nation tippu was curel for british and also for the people who support the british thtz y RSS says tht tippu is curel
India need another brave like Tipu sultan to eradicate RSS from the country.
RSS quotation itself proves that world has no matching personality like TIPPU for Nationalism and defence of country. For British - Tippu, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Ashfakullah Khan, Ghandiji, S.C. Bose... the list is endless.... all were Terrorists. It was Timid Savarkar and Hindutva fascists joined hands with British, worked against mother India and responsible for the massacre of thousands of Freedom Fighters of India. Till today these anti-national forces neither recognised Secular India, nor constitution, tricolour flag, national anthem.. rather they use all these to destroy Secular India. Founder of RSS openly said NOT TO FIGHT AGAINST BRITISH and advocated his goons to fight against Muslims. This is the history of RSS & British
Why siddana and his chelas want to celebrate this coward tippu jayanti.......hope siddana want to make karanataka islamic state by apeasing minority community.....!
This is what RSS is , RSS didn't want independence coz they had a close with British , British even killed Bhagat Singh , Raj guru and sukhdev as traitor but we Indians still treat them as freedom fighters , I think RSS treat them as cruel ????
Shame on u bloody RSS people , you guys have no rights to be in india h better go to ur British bhais.
Dear Cheddies (Now Pantees),
who brought Silk from Persia to India....how many farmers are living beacuse of silk in India...just think it....
I think Cheddis were hand to hand with British against whome nationalist were fighting during independence
Britishers know that because of tipu. India got independence.
To British, Mahatma Gandhi was a traitor & an enimy !
Every patriot was an enimy !
Nathuram Godse was a murderer ! Why should anyone need a lesson by those who celebrate Mahatma's killers jayanti??
Now RSS and British are Bhai Bhai (Brother's).
We got Independent on 1947 But for RSS Chaddis they lost their Freedom on 1947.Wa Re Wa Chaddis.
What if the Tipu was a Hindu. The tune of RSS would be different.
Apna cheddy nahi Sambhal sake. Abhi pant per uthargaye.
All Indians fully understand that the RSS was actively in support of the British, and did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to fight for India's independence from colonial rule. Its a known fact that USA has already enlisted RSS a terror group and has to be banned.
If he is cruel for british then of curse is hero for Indians.
If in front of RSS, Mahatma Gandhi is criminal, who else is good fro them.
RSS needs high level medical treatment. This is true not joke.
Whoever discussing any subject where RSS is involved, it is waste of time and finally it is stupidity to talk to them.
Just see what they did to Mahatma Gandhi and how they are glorifying his assassin Naturam Godse.
Unfortunately it is our unluck, still in India the majority of the people are their supporters therefore they were able to keep their puppet BJP in centre.
God, give them wisdom.
Who is British - Grand fathers of rss - they jointly involved in the cruel murder of our father of nation - GANDHI - they are the supporters for anti nationals and hindu terroristssss
British people considered all freedom fighters as cruel. Do you think all freedom fighters are cruel. in fact You guys are cruel. killed mahatma gandhi and other human beings in riots. RSS is following the foot step of Zionist, Nazism. they are deceiving people.
Oh yeah... Your savarkar / glovalkare was following British rules and they were feared of British rulers,. But Shahid Tippu was real tiger / hero of india / world. so british was too worried. Common man bloody RSS now wana prove based on British comments. hehehh.. shameless people. Being a tippu not a Savarkar
Yes ... This is the real face of the cheddis which was hidden for long time..the cheddis will follow their chachas (British) who want to rule over the people just like they used to rule over india and take all the resources and enjoy their life by making others to enslave them...
The hindus who think RSS is fighting for hindus is just a deception... U will surely see this in the near future...
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