Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today urged Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu to run 10 special trains from Punjab, connecting it with the prominent pilgrimage sites across the country.
The proposal to fulfil aspirations of people to visit holy and sacred places was well taken by the Rail Minister, who indicated that Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation Ltd (IRCTC) could run these trains within 4-6 weeks, a Punjab government statement claimed.
During the meeting, Badal apprised Prabhu that the founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak Dev and other Gurus travelled across the country and sites like Patna Sahib, Nanded Sahib, New Delhi etc, are closely associated with them, it stated.
"It is the wish of all Sikhs and Punjabis to visit these holy places at least once in a lifetime. Punjabis, who follow other religions, also aspire to pay their obeisance at their sacred places like Varanasi, Ajmer, Bidar, Pushkar," he said.
The deputy CM put forth the proposal to run 10 special trains from different parts of the state to facilitate its people to pay their obeisance at these holy and sacred sites.
Prabhu assured Badal that state Tourism in collaboration with IRCTC could run such special trains from Amritsar, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur and Chandigarh to holy places like Patna Sahib, Nanded Sahib, Varanasi, Pushkar and Ajmer.
The Deputy CM proposed to make this facility free of costs for its pilgrims with total expected costs of Rs 100 crore.
He also requested Union Railway Minister to grant minimum of 50 per cent subsidy in the proposed venture which has been envisaged for the welfare of its citizens, especially the elderly.
