To promote religious tourism, the IRCTC has planned a series of Shri Ramayana Yatra Tours, which will mark a gradual resumption of domestic tourism by trains in view of the improved COVID-19 situation.

One such tour wil begin from November 7, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) said on Saturday.

“IRCTC has planned the train tour packages utilising its Pilgrim Special Tourist Trains and Deluxe Tourist Trains duly understanding the

requirement of the budget and premium segment tourists,” it said in a statement.

“The first departure on the Ramayana Circuit train will commence on November 7 from New Delhi followed by four other departures in the subsequent month,” the IRCTC said.        Other packages include 12 nights / 13 days Shri Ramayana Yatra Express-Madurai, which will depart on November 16.

To meet the requirement of the pilgrim tourist market of south India, IRCTC will be operating Shri Ramayana Yatra Express-Madurai with its budget-segment train comprising of sleeper class coaches, the statement said.

The train will start from Madurai with boarding points at Dindigul, Tiruchchirappalli, Karur, Erode, Salem, Jolarpettai, Katpadi, Chennai Central, Renigunta, and Cuddapah.

It will cover Hampi, Nasik, Chitrakoot, Allahabad, Varanasi and will return to Madurai.

The statement said that there is also the 16 nights / 17 days package of the Shri Ramayana Yatra Express-Sri Ganganagar and the train will depart on November 25.   For budget segment tourists of North India, the IRCTC is operating the Shri Ramayana Yatra Express-Sri Ganganagar with its pilgrim special tourist trains, it said

The train will start from Sri Ganganagar with boarding and de-boarding points at Abohar- Malout, Bhatinda, Barnala, Patiala, Rajpura, Ambala Cantt., Kurukshethra, Karnal, Panipat, Delhi Cantt, Gurgaon,Rewari, Alwar, Jaipur, Agra Fort, Itawah and Kanpur, the statement said.

It will cover Ayodhya, Sitamarhi, Janakpur, Varanasi, Prayagraj and Chitrakoot, Nasik, Hampi and Rameswaram, Kanchipuran and will return to Sri Ganganagar.