Second Ramayana Yatra Train, Scheduled To Run On August 24, Cancelled Due To Fewer Bookings: IRCTC

The train, which has 11 third AC class coaches with an accommodation capacity of close to 600 passengers, cost pilgrims Rs 62,370.

The second Ramayana Yatra train, started by the Indian Railways under the Bharat Gaurav scheme has been cancelled due to less number of passengers, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) said in a statement released on Monday, according to news agency ANI. 

"The second Ramayana Yatra train which was to run on 24th August has now been cancelled due to less number of passengers. This was the second train of the Ramayana series under Bharat Gaurav," read the IRCTC statement.

The 18-day journey by the train, which has 11 third AC class coaches with an accommodation capacity of close to 600 passengers, cost pilgrims Rs 62,370, according to a PTI report.

The tour package covers all important places related to the life of Lord Shri Ram, Sita and Laxman while undertaking an exile in the forest for 14 years.

Under the Swadesh Darshan scheme, the train covers prominent places like Ayodhya, Janakpur (Nepal), Sitamarhi, Buxar, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Shringverpur, Chitrakoot, Nashik, Hampi, Rameshwaram, Kanchipuram and Bhadrachalam, the PTI report said.

The ticket fare remains uniform for the train irrespective of the station a passenger boards, that is Delhi, Aligarh, Tundla, Kanpur and Lucknow

The interiors of the Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train that covers almost 8,000 kilometres, is based on the Ramayana epic.

In order to make travelling affordable for the pilgrims, IRCTC has tied up with Paytm and Razorpay payment gateways for providing EMI options. It is for the first time that the IRCTC provided its passengers with such a facility.