Bhubaneswar: East Coast Railways (ECoR) has decided to run 148 special trains to cope with the expected rush of passengers for the ensuing Car Festival of Lord Jagannath at Puri on July 6,
Besides the special trains, as many as 29 booking counters and 25 additional booking counters will be opened at various places of the holy town, ECoR
ECoR will run the special trains to Puri from Khurda, Bhubaneswar, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Paradip, Berhampur, Palasa and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, Bhawanipatna, Keonjhar, Bangiriposi (Mayurbhanj), Sambalpur and Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh) between July 5 and July 16, the officials said.
Six trains will run to Puri for Netra Utsav ritual of the holy trinity on July 5 (a day before Ratha Jatra), while 26 trains will run for Gundicha Jatra (first day of Ratha Jatra) on July 6, officials added.
As many as 40 trains will be run between July 7 and July 13 for Sandhya Darshan of the deities. ECoR has arranged 22 trains for Bahuda Yatra on July 15 and 24 for Sunabesha ritual of the deities that falls the day after the Bahuda Jatra.
The ECoR will also run six trains the day after Suna Besha on July 16. Besides, 16 trains will be extended from their originating stations to Puri as special trains in view of the rush. All special trains will be named as Yatra Express Special, said the sources.