Chandigarh: Decks have been cleared for special trains to take devotees for the 350th birth anniversary celebrations of 10th Master of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh, from Punjab to Patna Sahib and back. The Punjab government had sought permission from the Indian Railways to run special trains from Amritsar, Bathinda, and Patiala to Patna Sahib following Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's directives.
The Railways has given permission to the state to run the trains to Patna on December 22 and back on December 27, an official spokesperson said here. The formal permission from the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) was received by the state transport commissioner (STC), the spokesperson said. The trains from Amritsar, Bathinda, and Patiala will leave on December 22 and reach Patna Sahib the next day.
The train from the Amritsar Railway Station will leave at 9:45 am and reach Patna Sahib at 11:45 am, the one from Patiala will leave at 9:30 am and reach at 11:00 am and the third special train from Bathinda would depart at 9:00 am and reach at 11:00 am on December 23. These special trains would start from Patna Sahib on December 26 and return to their respective destinations on December 27.
Nearly 1,500 devotees are expected to travel in each of these trains. Government officials and a team of doctors will be available onboard the trains, the spokesperson said. The decision to run these special trains from Punjab to Patna Sahib was taken at a specially convened meeting under the chairmanship of Singh on Monday. The arrangements for the celebration of the 350th Parkash Purab of Sikh Guru Sri Guru Gobind Singh at Anandpur Sahib on December 24 were also reviewed at the meeting.
The spokesperson said that adequate arrangements are being made in Patna to take devotees from the railway station to Sri Patna Sahib on arrival, and back for their departure. Arrangements for their accommodation are also being overseen by the advance party dispatched by the Punjab government to Patna, spokesperson said.
