Source – https://www.financialexpress.com/business/railways-indian-railways-launches-aastha-special-trains-to-ayodhya-from-these-states-know-capacity-stations-and-more-3386558/
Publisher – Financial Express
To bring devotees to Ayodhya from different parts of the country, the Indian Railways is running ‘Aastha special trains’ after the Ram Temple consecration ceremony which happened last month.
On Tuesday, Gujarat’s first special Aastha train to Ayodhya was flagged off by the state’s MoS for Forest and Environment Mukesh Patel from Mehsana railway station.
This was the first special train from Gujarat to leave for Ayodhya, and more such trains are scheduled from different parts of the state to Ayodhya, local leaders said.
Approx 1,344 devotees from seven assembly constituencies under the Mehsana Lok Sabha seat left for Ayodhya on the special train, and arrangements are put in place to ensure that they visit the temple without any difficulties, Patel added.
“The special train carrying Ram devotees, many of whom were kar sevaks (religious volunteers) during the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, left from Mehsana railway station. This was the first of the 26 Aastha special trains to leave from Gujarat, each covering a Lok Sabha seat in the state,” BJP leader MS Patel mentioned.
Jammu to Ayodhya: 1,100 devotees embark on religious pilgrimage
Amid religious fervor, a special ‘Aastha’ train carrying pilgrims was flagged off by BJP general secretary (organisation) J&K, Ashok Koul from Jammu to Ayodhya on Tuesday.
The train carried more than 1,100 devotees as it departed from the Jammu railway station at 11:55 am to Ayodhya.
Speaking on the occasion, Koul said, “This is the first train being flagged off from Jammu today. Trains to Ayodhya from here will continue starting today. Another train will run from here tomorrow, he added.
We are elated to be part of this inaugural train from Jammu. I never thought of visiting Ayodhya to see a temple with my own eyes. Ram has fulfilled my wish, a 72-year-old devotee Karam Chand Sharma said.
Odisha’s special Aastha train
On Tuesday, around 1,400 devotees boarded the Aastha special train from Odisha’s capital Bhubnwaswar for Ayodhya Dham.
“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 mentioned
Notably, the special train service will soon start from Puri, Cuttack, and Bhadrak, taking devotees for the darshan of Ram Lalla in the newly-built Ram Mandir.
As per media reports, Aastha train comprises 20 sleeper coaches and it can accommodate around 1,400 people.
The Indian Railways is running more than 200 Aastha special trains from various cities and tier 1 and tier 2 towns across India to Ayodhya after the Ram Temple consecration ceremony on January 22.
National capital too gets special train service
Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva flagged off a special train, heading to Ayodhya, from Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station on Monday (February 5).
“Among these devotees who have left Delhi today, include so many workers of my Lok Sabha, so I feel more happy. This first group is very lucky. I will also visit Ayodhya to see Lord Ram, by traveling in a similar train,” BJP MP Harsh Vardhan said while adding that another train, called Astha Special, carrying the first batch of Ram devotees to Ayodhya, left from Mumbai Railway station on Monday.
