Union Minister for Food Processing, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, flaged off the H S Nanded-Jammu Tawi Superfast Humsafar Weekly Express train here on Friday evening at 1630 hours.
MLA D P Sawant and Mayor Sheela Kishore Bhavre were amongst those present on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering, Ms Badal stated that the new train service would serve the needs of pilgrims visiting the most revered Sachkhand Sahib Gurudwara at Nanded, from various places in Punjab and other Northern states.
This train would enhance public convenience in the region, she added.
Divisional Railway manager T Rabha, in his address, highlighted the features of Humsafar Express, saying it is a fully air- conditioned, innovative and futuristic train offering unique facilities for comfort and convenience of passengers including attractive exterior, plush and comfortable interiors, GPS-based passenger information display system inside coaches, enhanced safety system for detection of fire and smoke, close circuit TV cameras, integrated Braille display for the visually-impaired, provision of tea, coffee and milk vending machines.
The regular services of this train will commence from H S Nanded on October 12 and from Jammu on October 14.
12751 H S Nanded-Jammu Tawi inaugural special Humsafar Express (Weekly) train will depart Nanded at 1030 hrs on October 12 (Friday) and arrive Jammu Tawi at 2330 hrs next day (Saturday).
In the return journey, 12752) Jammu Tawi-Nanded Humsafar Express (Weekly) train will depart Jammu Tawi at 0725 hrs on October 14 (Sunday) and arrive Nanded at 2045 hrs next day (Monday).
En route, these trains will also halt at Purna, Basmat, Hingoli, Washim, Akola, Malkapur, Itarsi, Habibganj, Bina, Jhansi, Gwalior, Agra Cantt, Mathura, New Delhi, Ambala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar Cantt and Pathankot Cantt stations, in both the directions.
The train consists of all AC-III Tier coaches. The demand was pursued by the Gurdwara Board to the railway department. The train will facilitate the passengers coming from Jammu and Kashmir to Nanded.
Meanwhile, on not being invited for this function, the Congress activists protested on the platform.
They also demanded to start a new train for Mumbai and to buckle the Nanded division to the Central Railway. To counter this demonstration, the BJP activists too gave slogans hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
