The 'Bharat Gaurav' trains were launched in June. (Representative Photo)
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is expanding the network of its 'Bharat Gaurav' train, the special theme-based tourist train service. The main aim of this scheme is to promote domestic tourism by connecting various historical places within the country. Through these special trains, the central government wants to showcase India's rich cultural heritage. The service first started in June from Delhi's Safdarjung station and departed on the Ramayana Circuit (connecting places mentioned in Ramayana). The train has been launched under the "Dekho Apna Desh" scheme.
Here are key things to know about the 'Bharat Gaurav' train:
- Coupled with a state-of-the-art air-conditioned rake, the tourist train will first stop at Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Ram, where the guests will visit the Ram Janmabhoomi temple and the Hanuman temple.
- Under the second phase, the train will then go to Janakpur in Nepal via Jaynagar. The guests will stay overnight at hotels in Janakpur and visit the famous Janaki temple and the Ram-Janaki wedding place.
- They will then proceed to Sitamarhi to visit Sita's birth place and thereafter, the train will arrive at Buxar, where the guests will be shown the hermitage of Maharishi Vishwamitra and the Ramrekha Ghat, where they can take a dip in the Ganges.
- The last destination of the train in this tour will be Bhadrachalam in Telangana, which is widely referred to as the "Ayodhya of the south".
- After this, the train will return to Delhi on the 20th day of its journey, covering roughly a distance of 8,000 km.
- To ensure additional comfort for elderly passengers, the duration of the Ramayan Yatra tour has been revised from 18 days to 20 days in its next schedule. The price for the 20-day tour will start from Rs 73,500 per person, according to IRCTC.
- The fully air-conditioned tourist train will comprise 11 third-AC coaches, one pantry car and two SLRs. Freshly-cooked vegetarian meals will be served to the guests on board from a well-equipped pantry car.
- The train has also been fitted with an infotainment system for the entertainment of the passengers as well as for public announcements. Clean toilets and enhanced security features, including CCTV cameras and security guards for each coach, have been provided for the tourists.