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
Aditiya Anand is a Hard core communal Hindu terrorist working under the shelter, protection and with the support of BJP. Second one is shakshi maharaj. They are not the saints or Sadhus but are the goons only to terrorize the minority classes as well as scheduled castes and backward classes.The government is keeping a blind eye toward these anti social elements.They must be controlled and debated from anti-social activities at the earliest possible. otherwise government of India will have to face the revolt from within the party folds. As there are people who are against such elements and do not want to set these bhagwa/saffron dressed miscreants free from the clutches of the law and order. The ministry of HOME Affairs must turn the cannons of law and order towards these anti-social...anti religious....anti law....anti humanism people.
Fake yogi
Put him in jail
AIMMM must file a case (nirbhaya a Ct?)
The trails and full investigation should in camera and identity of the victims shouldn't revealed.
Dear coastal digest my humble request with you please do not post PSYCHIATRISTS comments.
Naren potian can you send your sister to this place?
#RUC taken many action on it with their team
first of belated happy new year wishes for ultra nationalist Indian s ,who thinks nation first and religion second ...hahaha Look at the frustration among Itch guard users from one particular community ... all fake news .sorry to say CD is not at all posting news in which islamic millitants committing henious crimes and terrorists acts , be it in malda or in Bihar or pathankot ... even papa al quaida terrorist sikkagle in bangalore, chummah antha ummah kottu , chumma chumma dede antha ummah ge hurt agbardu antha news ne haakalla ..this shows the maturity of this news media , fake victimisation is new found technic by muslims but everybody knows the truth mama.. One particular religion on daily basis kidnaps 1000's of non muslim gals based on instruction from headless and rapist preachers , who scream for jihad ... we know how these piece piece religion sells women in petrol pumps of raqqa,syria on USD basis ... hahaha .
Ley fairman , we are not living in ISIS controlled or saud family ruled rogue nation to behead democratically elected person .. India mama idu ... sorry Hindusthan kano .. acha kannadali bharatha khanda mams idu ..yenne haakidya henge guru ... mostly local haakirbeku ... filter less agi , olagade iro true attitude aache bandide ... hahaha
anyways long live RSS , Jai bajrangdal ... Jai yogi adithya nand ...we must learn from Israel to counter anti national terrorists , Intifada maadthini anno munde maklanna shivana paada kke seristha iro israelis are really great .. avarigu jai andu bidona ... hara hara modi ... jai jai modi ... bholo bharath mata ki jai ... bholo sangh parivar ki jai ...
Is Judiciary exist in the country and vigilant on the rule of law and feels its responsibility to protect the minorities
Are these girls Sunni or Siya.?
How some young men becoming nexalites, terrorists, decoits???
because of \gomuka vyagra\" criminals existing in our places.
To take revenge youngsters are becoming terrorists to teach a lessons to these anti nationals.
This man along with his groups should be banned and arrested.
But the Government is supporting these goons because the Government is governed by RSS ( who are the God father for all these criminal terrorists)."
ALLAH will allow to cross the limits to Evil doers ,,,then he will catch them in their necks, but the time will be over to repent........................but we have to work hard to bring back glory of Muslims not ISLAM,..........ISLAM will prevail as ALLAH will take care of it
Be honest
Be vigilant if Religion or Women comes under attack
Be Prayfull
Dont sit at home and think that Duaa is enough...if its true then Allah created Humans when Angles were there already...its a test to all of us
This guy deserves to be beheaded immediately and his daughters to be just kidnapped and treated good, so that he and his followers learn well.
Ya it is true. yogi should be banned from india
seriously, AIMMM dont have any work to do.
what non sense it is,
YA ALLAH save us from Such human devils.
Oh Ummah, please be alert because devils are roaming freely.. because the Word of ALLAH is kept in the SHELF ...
& also
Our prophet said be UNITED
Groups say : Don't UNITE by adding their own version to TRUE ISLAM.
Think which Group is asking U NOT to GET UNITED?
ALL types of devils will run away when we act upon the word of ALLAH...
Lets not be a MUSLIM only by name... We should act as a MUSLIM. U just need to take the step... ALLAH will help U fight such devils in ins & jinns. There is no POWER nor MIGHT except with ALLAH.
one more allegation, what are we. what are we hearing, seriously we common people are not understanding.
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