CHANDIGARH: Decks have been cleared for special trains to carry devotees from Punjab to and from Patna Sahib for the 350th Birth Anniversary celebrations of tenth Master of the Sikhs Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji.
Acting on the directives of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, the state government had sought permission from the Indian Railways to run special trains from Amritsar, Bathinda and Patiala to Patna Sahib. The Railways have given permission to the state to run the trains to Patna on December 22, returning with the pilgrims on December 27, an official spokesperson said here on Tuesday.
The formal permission from Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) was received by the State Transport Commissioner (STC), said the spokesperson.
Providing details, the spokesperson said that a special train would leave from Amritsar railway station at 9:45 am on December 22 and arrive at Patna Sahib at 11:45 am on December 23. Another special train would leave for Patna Sahib from Patiala railway station on December 22 at 9:30 am and reach Patna Sahib railway station at 11:00 am on December 23, whereas the third special train from Bathinda railway station would depart at 9:00 am on December 22 and reach at Patna Sahib next day at 11:00 am. All these special trains would start from Patna Sahib on December 26 and return to their respective destinations on December 27.
These special trains would carry nearly 1500 devotees each escorted by government officials besides a team of doctors and pharmacists.
It may be recalled that a decision to run these special trains from Punjab to Patna Sahib was taken at a specially convened meeting under the chairmanship of Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday to review the arrangements for the celebration of the 350th Parkash Purb of tenth Sikh Guru Sri Guru Gobind Singh at Anandpur Sahib on December 24.
Adequate arrangements are being made in Patna for travel of the devotees from the railway station to Sri Patna Sahib on arrival, and back to the railway station for their departure back home. Arrangements for their accommodation are also being overseen by the advance party dispatched by the Punjab government to Patna.