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
Haha gabbu beary ...aithu kandi dini hogappa ...fish sales ge time aithu ...haha ...
Jihadi galige jai annodakke kalla ander yaavaglu ready ...name itself says every thing ....
FYI ...faizhal Bhai avru swimming practice maadtha iddiddu ...ganapati na mulugislikke ...not to kill as u guys think ....case already close ...en Bhai ...belagge bega bega message haaki bitideera. .Dana kaddiro lorry bega bantha hege ? Haha...
I would like to express my heartfelt solidarity with my beloved brothers ? Riyaz, Athaullah and all others comrades! Jai CFI.
Naren and Viren.....
I don't know what you uneducated goons are commenting........abvp got a big zero in JNU elections.......ha ha.....
We know who roam around with lethal weapons.....in the name of swayam sevak.....and go raksha......and live on TV in Maharashtra goons attacking and attempt to murder a police officer on Ganesha visarjan.....what you have to say.....
It is a good sign for PFI because now you think of joining secular colleges instead of communal colleges.Why do you want to satudy in such communal biased colleges.
These people donno that. Police are cheddies. Because of these police People are taking law in their hands.
Naren i think ur 10 Paisa kammi. Talking nonsense everyday.
Naren bhai.. you have given a list of murdered people and called them peace lovers. Solpa correction madkolli... Actually they were \beef piece\" lovers like you."
I heard from local sources that they were armed with lethal weapons ...put goonda act on these third rated goons ..how dare they can attack police officers ....maklige sariyaagi ikki ...
jihadist attacks on police and schools are nowadays very cmon...where as their community members are busy giving lecture on peace ....many PF the kasargode Isis militants are linked to PFI and CFI ..Indian intelligence must monitor jihadists ...same PFI is accused in 8-9 murders of Hindu peacelovers ....be it charan poojary or raju or Prashanth poojari ...polali ananthu ...candle santhu
Mohan ABVP rightly said .... ABVP will not tolerate if anyone attacks Police. Because Police men are wearing also Khaki chaddi inside. Police also belongs to them (RSS).
@ Abdul Samad
Yes you are right. Commissioner told the normal people to raise the voice whenever there is injustice. CFI students raised their voice against injustice but police are not even ready to take the memorandum So commissioner has to f
Srinivas college took revenge against these students. Down down srinivas college. Let us all fight for justice.
Yesterday at town hall programme our commisioner of police asked the decent people to raise their voice against injustice! When the young activist raise their voice they are treated with lati with oppression!! Waw what a hypocrites!! As we all know 60% of police are RSS activists. nothing to worry CFI leadership capable enough to resist democratically!!
Why the police version is not mentioned in the report? I request CD reporter to be impartial and add the version of police too. one sided story we dont want. We know very well who these guys are.
Three policemen were attacked by CFI terrorists. What the hell other policemen were doing? Why cant they use their guns to finish those who attack policemen?
Dont blame our college for no reason. This case has no link with hijab ban issue. Actually there was no need for a protest two weeks ago. College was ready to withdraw hijab ban if the parents of the students collectively wanted it. CFI just tried to get political milage by staging a protest. And now they are supporting ragging accused. what a shame!
I dont think anyone will lodge false ragging complaint. Something they might have done in the past. the college used the opportunity. CFI wanted to become hero and turned zero.
Very sad. What was the need for the police to cane the CFI activists? They could have accepted the memorandum and throw it into dust bin if the demand was not genuine. Unfortunately this happened within a day after leaders of different community came together for a better mangaluru.
Marlerr!!!!
jokers of the year
wow good shot!!!
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