Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday inaugurated a special train bound for Ayodhya from Sambalpur. Departing from Sambalpur, the Sambalpur-Darshan Nagar-Sambalpur Astha Special train embarked on its journey with 1,512 devotees from the western region of Odisha headed to Ayodhya.
What did Dharmendra Pradhan say at the inauguration?
Pradhan expressed gratitude to the railways for providing a train equipped with 20 sleeper coaches. This arrangement will enable devotees from western Odisha to have the opportunity to visit Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. The minister told the reporters that a lot of enthusiasm could be seen among the devotees.
Which stations will the Sambalpur-Darshan Nagar-Sambalpur train halt at?
According to Pradhan, the train will have halts at Rourkela and Jharsuguda before entering the neighbouring state, Jharkhand. “The train will reach Ayodhya on Wednesday and bring back the devotees to Odisha the next day”, he added.
Indian Railways’ Aastha Special Trains
Earlier this month, Gujarat’s MoS for Forest and Environment Mukesh Patel flagged off the state’s first special Aastha train to Ayodhya from the Mehsana railway station.
Similarly, BJP general secretary (organisation) J&K, Ashok Koul flagged off a special ‘Aastha’ train carrying pilgrims to Ayodhya from Jammu in February. Around 1,400 devotees boarded the Aastha special train from Odisha’s capital Bhubnwaswar for Ayodhya Dham on February 6.
“The first Aastha Special Train from Odisha has left the state with groups of Sri Ram devotees from Puri and Jagatsinghpur Parliamentary constituencies,” Odisha’s BJP president Manmohan Samal had said.
On February 5, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva flagged off a special train to Ayodhya from Delhi’s Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station.
(With PTI inputs)