Char Dham Yatra: Indian Railways starts special train for tourists, to cover major spots

As soon as the Uttarakhand government resumed Char Dham Yatra on Saturday, a special train has also been initiated by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) for supporting the popular pilgrimage. Under the 'Dekho Apna Desh' initiative, the Deluxe AC tourist train has been started to provide adequate facilities to the guests. The announcement of the train came after the success of the 'Shri Ramayana Yatra' train which was operated on the Ramayana circuit.

Meanwhile, talking about Char Dham Yatra, it was resumed on Saturday, September 18, and will go on for 16 days. The journey started from Delhi's Safdarjung Railway Station and will cover Haridwar, Rishikesh, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Kashi, Puri, Rameshwaram, and Dwarka. Covering all these spots, the train will pass through several holy destinations including the Ganga Ghat, Lakshman Jhulla, Hanuman Garhi, Vishwanath Temple, Jagannath Temple, Dwarkadhish temple, and many more. 

Features of the Char Dham Yatra Deluxe AC tourist train

The State of Art Deluxe AC tourist train launched by the IRCTC will travel around 8,500 kilometres during the tour. Furthermore, it will also have several features for the tourists which include fine dining restaurants, a modern kitchen, proper show shower cubicles, washroom functions as well a foot massager. The train is fully air-conditioned and provides two separate accommodations which include 1st AC and 2nd AC. Also, it has ensured security arrangements including CCTV cameras and security guards. 

The special tourist train launched as a part of the Central government's initiative will help to promote domestic tourism at a very competitive price which starts from Rs 78,585 per person. This package will include all the train coverages such as AC classes, deluxe hotels, meals, sightseeing, travel insurance, and services of IRCTC tour managers. 

Uttarakhand resumes Char Dham Yatra

The Char Dham Yatra which was earlier banned by the Supreme Court due to a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases was officially started by the Uttarakhand government on Friday. Announcing the same, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami invited people from all across the nation soon after the ban was lifted by the Nainital High Court.  

The decision has been taken under the view of a steady decline in COVID-19 infections in the state. Also, preventive measures will be taken throughout the overall journey. As per that, an SOP has also been issued by the state government for the safe conduct of the Yatra. 

(With ANI inputs; Image: PTI)