In preparation for the grand opening of the Ram Mandir, India’s railways are launching 200 special ‘Aastha Special Trains’ to Ayodhya, starting from January 22, 2024. This follows announcements from major airlines about direct flights to this holy city in Uttar Pradesh.
Connectivity Across India
The new train service will begin right after the Ram Mandir’s opening ceremony. These trains will connect major and smaller cities to Ayodhya and will run for 100 days. The trains will travel from places like Maharashtra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Delhi. This will make it easy for people from different parts of India to visit Ayodhya.
Furthermore, plans are in place to start similar train routes from other Indian states, including routes from the North-East, possibly starting from Guwahati in Assam.
Booking and Onboard Services
Booking for these special trains will be available exclusively through the Indian Railways’ IRCTC app and website. Passengers can expect vegetarian meals onboard. The ticket price will include several charges like reservation fees, superfast charges, catering, service fees, and GST.
Nationwide Celebrations and Station Decorations
To celebrate the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony on January 22, the Indian Railways is also decorating 343 stations across the country. These stations are named after Lord Ram and will be part of the festivities for the grand opening of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
States like Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have the most stations named after Lord Ram, with 55 and 54 stations respectively. Bihar is also on the list with a significant number of such stations.
Ceremonial Events and Public Darshan
The week-long rituals for the grand opening began on Tuesday, leading up to the main event on January 22. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to lead the opening ceremony. The temple will welcome visitors starting January 23.
This development makes traveling to Ayodhya by train or flight much easier and more convenient for everyone.
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