The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) will run a pilgrim special tourist train from Ranchi to Vaishnodevi and other pilgrimages in north India next month.

“This will help reduce the negativity that has gripped people during the pandemic,” said Zubraj Minz, IRCTC area manager in Ranchi.

However, it seems more like an attempt to revive railway tourism in the state as the IRCTC announced this special train immediately after it had to cancel a south-bound Bharat Yatra train from the region that was scheduled to leave this month.

“We got very good response for that train but it was withdrawn in August in view of the sudden increase in Covid infections in some parts in the south,” senior supervisor Jyoti Kumari said.

The special train will leave Ranchi on the morning of December 12 and will return on the evening of December 20, after completing a nine-day, eight-night journey, the officials said. The passengers will be able to visit Mathura, Vrindavan, Ram Janmabhoomi Temple and Hardwar, besides Vaishnodevi, during the trip.

Unlike Bharat Yatra trains that have only non-AC coaches, this pilgrim special train will have five each AC and non-AC compartments, they said. The fare per person, including charges for food, for AC and non-AC coaches would be Rs 14,175 and Rs 8,505 respectively.

Those buying non-AC tickets will have to travel in sleeper coaches, stay at Dharamshala and avail non-AC buses during sightseeing, while the AC ticket holders will avail AC3 coaches, hotel accommodation and air-conditioned buses, the officials said.

Besides the official website of IRCTC, passengers can book tickets or board the train at Ranchi, Bokaro Steel City, Dhanbad, Asansol, Chittaranjan, Jamtara, Madhupur, Jasidih, Jhajha, Kiul, Mokama, Bakhtiyarpur, Patna, Ara, Buxer and Mughalsarai stations.

The IRCTC advised passengers to carry Covid-19 vaccination certificates that would be a must for visiting temples.

It also assured that the coaches, pantry cars, dormitories and rooms would be sanitised and doors, seats and berths disinfected at regular intervals, besides providing sanitiser, masks, gloves and face shields to all passengers.

Any passenger who may have to cancel journey due to Covid-19 infection would get full refunds, the IRCTC further assured, adding that they would also keep two coaches aside where tourists, if infected during their journey, would be quarantined.