publiccg Chhattisgarh NEWS
Related Articles
Special Train to Depart from Raipur on 15th July — CM Sai to Flag Off the Journey
Raipur, 14 July 2025
As part of the silver jubilee celebrations of Chhattisgarh’s formation, Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai’s visionary initiative, ‘Shri Ramlala Darshan Yojana’, is bringing the divine opportunity of visiting Shri Ram’s birthplace in Ayodhya to the people of the state. The scheme is steadily becoming a part of the lives and spiritual aspirations of the masses.
The first special train of the financial year 2025–26 under this scheme will depart from Raipur Railway Station to Ayodhya Dham on 15th July 2025. On this auspicious occasion, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai will personally flag off the special pilgrimage train. The train, carrying devotees from the Raipur division, will be sent off in the presence of ministers, Members of Parliament and MLAs, Chhattisgarh Tourism Board Chairman Mr. Neelu Sharma, Managing Director Mr. Vivek Acharya, senior officials, South East Central Railway Raipur Division DRM Mr. Dayanand, Senior DCM Mr. Awadhesh Trivedi, and Group General Manager of IRCTC – South Central Zone Mr. P. Rajkumar.
It is noteworthy that with the aim of providing the people of Chhattisgarh an opportunity, once in their lifetime, to visit Shri Ram Lalla in Ayodhya Dham, a significant MoU was signed on 23rd February 2024 between the Chhattisgarh Tourism Board and the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).
The formal launch of this scheme took place on 5th March 2024 with the first special train for Raipur division pilgrims, which was flagged off by Chief Minister Sai in the esteemed presence of senior ministers and public representatives.
Following this:
On 11th March, a special train for pilgrims from the Bilaspur division was flagged off by Deputy Chief Minister Shri Arun Sao.
On 19th June, a train carrying pilgrims from the Surguja division was flagged off by MP Shri Chintamani Maharaj in the presence of MLAs and public representatives.
On 26th June, the first joint special train for the Durg and Bastar divisions, with 850 pilgrims, departed from Durg Railway Station to Ayodhya.
Each of these events witnessed a deep sense of devotion and excitement among the pilgrims. Media personnel, common citizens, district officials and employees, and representatives of the Chhattisgarh Tourism Board and IRCTC were present in large numbers.
In the previous financial year, under the Shri Ramlala Darshan Yojana, approximately 22,100 devotees were able to visit Ayodhya Dham. Weekly special trains under the scheme will continue to operate regularly from Raipur, Bilaspur, Surguja, and the joint Durg-Bastar divisions, offering pilgrims the chance to visit Shri Ram Lalla in Ayodhya.
Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai’s initiative is not only reinforcing religious devotion but is also giving a proud and prominent place to Chhattisgarh’s cultural identity.
