BBSR-Shirdi new IRCTC tour packages

Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) on Tuesday announced two more tour packages for Shirdi from Bhubaneswar as the place has become the most sought after pilgrimage destination for people of Odisha.

“More than 70% of our 5,000 tourists who availed of our packages in the current fiscal visited Shirdi. Considering the growing demand, IRCTC has decided to start two new tour packages in March, after the annual examinations are over,” manager (tourism) Kranti P Sawarkar said.

“The first one is a four nights and five days ‘Shirdi-Shani Shingnapur’ trip, which would start on March 11, while the second is five nights & six days ‘Shirdi-Shani Shingnapur-Nasik’ trip, scheduled to start on March 25. The starting price for first trip is Rs 5,100 a person, while the second one would be Rs 8,400 per head,” Sawarkar added.

IRCTC has decided to add three coaches for its tours to Shridi Dham, Shani Singhnapur and Nasik. Shirdi Dham and Shani Singhnapur-Nasik Yatra will commence from Bhubaneswar railway station on March 11 and March 25 and end in five and six days respectively.

“Devotees from Bhubaneswar would be taken to Shirdi not on a special tourist train but either by the Bhubaneswar LTT Super Fast Express or Puri LTT Super Fast Express.

Every passenger willing to go to Shirdi would get a confirmed ticket and would be taken up to Manmad railway station. From Manmad, they would be taken to Shirdi Dham by AC cars via road route.

They would also stay in an air-conditioned hotel,” Kranti P Swarkar, Manager-Tourism, IRCTC, told mediapersons on Tuesday.

IRCTC official Sanghamitra Roul said, “We also provide special Shirdi trips every week and there are thousands of others who avail services of private tour operators to visit Shirdi. People from all walks of life prefer Shirdi and the number increases every year.”