Railways to run 205 special trains for Rath Yatra

BHUBANESWAR: The Indian Railways on Monday announced details of special trains to be run between June 29 and July 11 for Rath Yatra festival in Puri. As many as 205 special trains will be run to and from Puri during this festival for smooth and convenience of the devotees.
“As Rath Yatra was organized without pilgrims for the last two years due to Covid-19 protocols, Railways expects a huge number of pilgrims will be gathered at Puri, this year,” said a statement issued by the East Coast Railway (ECoR).
Shalimar-Puri-Shalimar Rath Yatra Special Express (02837/002838) will leave Puri at 12.45pm on June 29 and arrive at Puri at 10.30pm on the same day. Another Shalimar-Puri-Shalimar Rath Yatra Special Express (02827/002828) will leave Shalimar at 9.40pm on June 29 and reach Puri at 7am on the very next day.
Other Rath Yatra specials will be run in the routes of Visakhapatnam-Puri, Junagarh Road-Puri, Gunupur-Puri, Jagadalpur-Puri and Sambalpur-Puri on June 30. Bhubaneswar-Puri Rath Yatra special will be run between July 1 and July 11 for Bhubaneswar and Khurda people who want to visit Puri during this Rath Yatra.
Apart from this, 10 pairs of trains (20 trips) will run towards Puri from different parts of the state and vice versa. Special trains on Gundicha Yatra (on July 1) will be run from Paradip, Cuttack, Mahipur (Nayagarh), Berhampur, Bhadrak, Khurda Road and Keonjhar Road towards Puri.
Similarly, on Sandhya Darshan (on July 8), seven pairs of special trains will run towards Puri and vice versa.
On Bahuda Yatra (on July 9), 10 pairs of special trains from Paradip, Mahipur, Cuttack, Berhampur, Bhadrak, Khurda Road, Keonjhargarh will run towards Puri and vice versa. Similarly, 11 pairs of special trains will be run from these stations towards Puri on the day of Sunabesha (on July 10).
Junagarh Road-Puri-Junagarh Road Special, Gunupur-Puri-Gunupur Special, Sambalpur-Puri- Sambalpur Special, Visakhapatnam-Puri-Visakhapatnam Special will leave Puri on July 10 and reach their destinations according to the schedule.
A day after Sunabesha, (on July 11), seven special trains will leave Puri towards Gunupur, Rayagada, Bhadrak, Sambalpur, Visakhapatnam, Kendujhargarh and Mahipur and one special train will run from Keonjhargarh to Puri.
Three pairs of trains will ply between Khurda Road and Puri from July 2 to July 7. Two pairs of trains will be run in Mahipur-Puri route during this period (July 2-July 7). “These apart, additional special trains are being planned to run during the period in view of demands from the passengers/devotees,” said the ECoR.