The Railway authorities reserved a seat for Lord Shiva onboard the Kashi Mahakal Express inaugural train, flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 16. But a furor has forced the authorities to make changes. Seat number 64 in coach B5 was reserved for Shiva, or Bhole Baba, on the Kashi Mahal Express train to seek blessings of the deity for the new project. The AC coach was made to look like a small temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. However, now Shiva's seat has been moved to a pantry car onboard the train.
The move by the Railway authorities had many criticizing them. Questioning the gesture, Owaisi had tweeted a photo of the Preamble of the Constitution, tagging the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
It was only later that the IRCTC came out with a clarification. "The inaugural run was also not open to passengers. There is going to be no such reserved or dedicated berth for this purpose in the commercial run of the train," it said.
Meanwhile, the Kashi-Mahakal Express began its commercial run from Thursday. The third train between Varanasi and Indore will operate three days in a week. It will be a bi-weekly service through the Sultanpur-Lucknow route and a weekly service via the Prayagraj route.
The Kashi Mahakal Express Train connects three Jyotirlingas -- Omkareshwar near Indore, Mahakaleshar in Ujjain and Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi.
It will depart from Varanasi at 2.45 pm every Tuesday and Thursday to reach Indore at 9.40 am on Wednesday and Friday. Similarly, the train will start from Indore at 10.55 am every Wednesday and Friday and will reach Varanasi next morning at 6 am.
The train will have stoppages at Ujjain, Sant Hirdaram Nagar, Bina, Jhansi, Kanpur and Sultanpur stations in both directions.
Meanwhile, Kashi Mahakal Express will be a weekly service via Prayagraj route.
ALSO READ | Seat no. 64, coach B5: Lord Shiva travels on Kashi-Mahakal Express inaugural train
Latest India News
