Aspecial train to visit religious places in India:

Safe, comfortable and reliable

by Harshini PERERA in New-Delhi

Many Sri Lankan pilgrims visit India every year. The 'Mahaparinirvan Buddhist Circuit' Special Train is designed with the concept of providing safe, comfortable and a reliable service for the Buddhist Circuit travellers without the tiresome bus tours.

The number of passengers travelling on this train since its initiation in 2007 have been around 150 per cent.

Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd., (IRCTC) Deputy General Manager Tourism, Arun Srivastava told Sunday Observer before the train departed from the New-Delhi Safdarjung station.

He said during the season, October-May 2009/10, many Sri Lankans travel in the Buddhist Circuit more comfortably.

The 'Mahaparinirvan Buddhist Circuit' Special Train is a deluxe train which resumed operations in October 2007 to commemorate the 2550 years of the Buddha's Mahaparinirvana given by the government of India to IRCTC. It is not only Buddhists but also for other tourists vtravel in tihs train.

There have been tourists from 25 countries all over the world especially during this season, he said.

The tour starts off from New- Delhi Safdarjung station with a tour guide and covers Bodhgaya, Nalanda, Rajgir, Varanasi, Saranath, Gorakhpur, Kushinagar, Lumbini, Gonda, Sravasti and Taj Mahal.

The security for the passengers provided by a private security service and the catering service on the board is available.

The Hemas Travels, Sri Lankan agent has been promoting tours among Sri Lankans.

Based on customer needs we have provided some facilities which were not available in any of the trains in India, he said.