IRCTC to expand package to Vaishno Devi

New Delhi, Feb 4: The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corp (IRCTC) is considering Jammu and Kashmir government's request to expand the newly-launched weekend package from the national capital to the popular pilgrim destination of Vaishno Devi shrine.

There was a proposal from the state government to extend the tour to nearby tourist destination like Shivkhori (Shaivite cave shrine), Patnitop (hill station) and even an option for visiting the Valley, IRCTC sources said.

The idea was mooted in a meeting between top IRCTC officials, Director Tourism (Jammu) Ajay Khajuria and Director Tourism (Kashmir) Farooq Shah recently. Both sides planned to have consultations to work out the details later.

The three- night-two day all-inclusive package, entailed AC three-tier train travel, transit, food, hotel stay, 'darshan' on a priority basis and 'wash and change' facility at Bhawan.

The trip started on Friday evenings from New Delhi Railway Station and ended early on Monday mornings at the same place.

The journey from Delhi to Jammu was undertaken by Jammu Rajdhani, from where passengers were taken to Katra by a luxury bus and put up in a hotel. There was a free ''pick-up and drop'' facility from the hotel to Banganga, where ascent to the hilltop cave shrine actually began. The return journey was in Uttar Sampark Kranti.

Passengers were provided priority 'darshan' slips so that they could give serpentine queues at the temple door a miss.

The package, which at the moment has only 20 seats, cost Rs 3,950 and bookings could be done online or through IRCTC designated tour operators.

Children up to 12 years of age were charged half the amount.

The first batch of IRCTC's package was launched on January 26.

The corporation was already deluged with booking requests for the tour.

UNI