PATNA: Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has offered a special tour package, `Bharat Darshan’, for Bihar tourists wishing to go on a pilgrimage to Varanasi, Mathura, Brindavan, Amritsar, Vaishno Devi and Haridwar.
A special train having the load combination of 10 Sleeper coaches, will start from Patna on April 17 on a 10-day journey to these destinations. Each passenger will have to pay Rs 5,130 for the package which meals, night stay as well as transportation by buses as and when required. “The special train will return to Patna on April 26,” said IRCTC regional manager Rajesh Rana.
IRCTC is also offering a summer tour package for the family and youths in particular. Under this, a train will originate from Patna to take the booked passengers to Darjeeling, Gangtok and Pelling for around Rs 5000 each.
Also in the pipeline is a tour package offering a pilgrimage from Patna to the four Dhams __ Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri __ in June this year. “Details for this package are being worked out,” Rana said.
Bookings have begun at the IRCTC office at the Biscomaun building near Gandhi Maidan. For more details, IRCTC’s tourism incharge Priyadarshi Kumar can be reached on 9771440016, Rana said and added IRCTC tours are basically aimed at promoting low-cost tourism.