Lalu to flag off Garib Rath between Nizamuddin and Bandra tomorrow

New Delhi, Feb 21 (UNI) Fulfilling a major promise made in last year's Railway Budget, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad will flag off tomorrow 'Garib Rath' -- the fourth in the series -- linking Hazrat Nizamuddin and Mumbai's Bandra Terminal, providing airconditioned travel to passengers at an affordable price.

Touted as the country's first fully air-conditioned train for the common man, Garib Rath provides travel in AC coaches at a fare 40 per cent less than normal AC trains.

After tomorrow's launch of the train, Garib Rath will be available on four sectors -- Saharsa and Amritsar, Patna-Hazrat Nizamuddin, Chennai and Hazrat Nizamuddin and Bandra Terminal and Hazrat Nizamuddin.

Garib Rath between Saharsa and Amritsar -- the first in the series -- commenced its operation in October last year. The second Garib Rath, connecting Patna and Hazrat Nizamuddin, was flagged off on Decmber 10 while the third such train between Chennai Central and Hazrat Nizamuddin began its maiden journey earlier today.

The ticket fare for the full-length journey in Garib Rath between Hazrat Nizamuddin and Bandra Terminal (2910) will be Rs 662 for AC three tier and Rs 552 for chair car. This will be less than 40-50 per cent as compared to the fare in normal AC trains.

The tri-weekly train will leave Hazrat Nizamuddin on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 1550 hrs to reach Bandra the following day at 0850 hrs. From Bandra, the train will leave on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 1655 hrs to reach Nizamuddin the next morning at 0940 hrs.

The train has 12 AC three-tier coaches and four AC chair-cars.

Enthused by the success of the Garib Rath, Mr Prasad had earlier announced that similar trains would run from all state capitals across the country.

''The experiment to provide facilities to the underprivileged section at lower prices is a major success,'' he said.

UNI