Double decker Shatabdi Express train to run between Mumbai and Goa

Railway Minister has announced the plan to stat a double decker Shatabdi Express between Mumbai and Goa. Once operational, it would be India’s first ever double decker Shatabdi Express. The minister made the announcement on the sidelines of a program at the Goa University.
This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 24 October 2015.

When asked about a special Goa Rajdhani Express train, he remarked that he will "definitely look into it". Those from Goa who want to avail of Rajdhani luxury train services have to rely on the Trivandrum Rajdhani which passes through Goa and has a halt at Margao in South Goa.
The minister also indicated that keeping in mind tourists coming to Goa, the Railways could also consider starting holiday train for tourists. Like an IRCTC holiday train.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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Uttar Pradesh offers free pilgrimage to Tirupati and Rameswaram to more than 1000 senior citizens

Uttar Pradesh is offering freebies to more than 1000 senior citizens of the state – it is a free pilgrimage down South to the temples of Tirupati and Rameswaram. As revealed by Principal Secretary (Religious Affairs), the proposed pilgrimage would be open to permanent senior citizens of the state between November 26 and December and it would be conducted by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).
This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 16 September 2015.

The selected persons would be taken on a special train that would be chartered by the IRCTC. The route would be from Lucknow to Tirupati and Rameswaram in the general class. In the trip, they would be provided with travelling kits. The to-and-fro journey of these pilgrims from their home districts to Lucknow would be taken conducted by the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation.
It is understood that there would be 1,044 berths would be reserved for pilgrims and the IRCTC would get them covered by accidental insurance.
This pilgrimage is covered under 'Samajwadi Shrawan Yatra' and, similar pilgrimages had been arranged earlier this year for senior citizens of Uttar Pradesh to travel to Haridwar, Rishikesh, Ajmer Sharif and Pushkar shrines.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 12 September 2015.

It was a four-coach and two of these derailed near a curve. The train was a tourist special chartered train and had been booked through IRCTC.
The site of the accident is in Himachal Pradesh and the cause of the accident was not immediately known. An inquiry had been ordered. This Kalka-Shimla Railway is a narrow gauge service and covers the mountainous route from Kalka to Shimla.
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Good news for train travelers – KFC to supply meals on trains

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation IRCTC system has tied up with KFC, the fast food giants, to supply meals to passengers on board trains. The system will takeoff from July 20 on trains that pass through New Delhi and will subsequently be extended to other trains.
This has been reported in ibnlive.com dated 22 July 2015.

The service would be expanded to Vishakhapatnam, Hyderabad (Kacheguda) and Bangalore (Yeshwantpur) stations within the next 10 days as indicated by a statement.
It would be available only on 12 trains passing through New Delhi railway station. These would be trains that do not have any pantry car and would, at a later date, be extended to trains like Rajdhani and Duronto. Price list of KFC items as on 27/7/14.
Under the scheme, a person travelling on the train can order KFC meal at the time of booking ticket through IRCTC from July 20 onwards. Once booked, the passenger would get a password on his mobile phone which he would have to reveal when he takes delivery of his food packet.
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IRCTC offers flight option to waitlisted passengers through GoAir, Spicejet

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation IRCTC plans to tie up with budget airlines like GoAir and Spicejet to offer waitlisted passengers a chance to avail a flight in place of a train journey – the fare charged would be comparable to normal flights and would be, in fact, less.
Tis has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com of 10 June 2015.

The process has already taken off and IRCTC has tied up with GoAir and have sold about 100 tickets through this scheme in the past one month. There are plans to rope in SpiceJet and other domestic carriers in the scheme.
The scheme would apply to tickets booked at least three days prior to the date of the journey and the flight tickets would be made available only for the day of the train journey or the next day. Any passenger can avail of this facility from sleeper class to AC classes and IRCTC would send SMS to the waitlisted passengers seeing their acceptance of the offer.
Budget airlines usually operate with about 20 per cent seats empty in their plane and IRCTC plans to make the best use of it. The airlines would hand over unsold tickets to IRCTC who would then dispose them off in this way. It would be a win-win situation for all.
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