First NFR train for pilgrims

GUWAHATI, Feb 14: Fulfilling the Budget promise made by the Railway Minister, NF Railway and IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) have jointly launched the ‘Astha Circuit Tourist Train’ for the convenience of people of the Northeast.  The special train, according to a press release, will start from Kamakhya for Puri and Bhubaneswar with a stop at Kolkata and back to Kamakhya. For the first time, this type of special dedicated tourist train is being origited from NF Railway. The proposed train would take travelers to a mix of popular pilgrimage destitions across the eastern part of our country at cheapest available rates, and will be maged by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). This is a unique concept where a dedicated tourist train will be origiting from Kamakhya for the very first time in the history of NF Railway, the release said. The ‘Astha Circuit Tourist Train’ would take tourists to a mix of various popular religious destitions, covering Gangasagar, Sri Swamy rayan Temple, Kalighat, Birla Temple, Sri Jaganth Temple, Kork Temple and Lingaraj Temple.

The duration of the tour from Kamakhya and back is six nights and seven days, at a very nomil cost of Rs 850 per person per day, barring taxes. Per person cost for the entire trip is Rs 6,161 (all inclusive), including breakfast, lunch, dinner, sleeper class accommodation and visit to various temples through local transport. The train (00561) will start from Kamakhya on February 17, 2017 and would end at Kamakhya on February 23, 2017.

The train would have various boarding stations including Kamakhya, Alipurduar, New Cooch Behar, New Jalpaiguri, Malda, New Farakka, Pakur, Rampurhat and Bolpur. De-boarding stations are Rampurhat, Pakur, New Farakka, Malda Town, New Jalpaiguri, New Coochbehar and Alipurduar.