PRI
RAIL-STEAM
Railways to showcase steam locos during Commonwealth Games
New Delhi, Mar 30 (PTI) Come 2010, steam locomotives will be back on
tracks in Delhi.
The Railways have decided to run steam trains on the Delhi ring
railway route as part of its Heritage Experience Plan for the
Commonwealth Games.
The train consisting of six heritage coaches with a steam locomotive
would start from Safdarjung station and travel to Anand Vihar, Old
Yamuna Bridge, Old Delhi, New Delhi and Nizamuddin station before
returning to Safdarjung.
"We are working out details of the project. The aim is to showcase
our heritage properties by facilitating visitors to have a glimpse
of these during the Games in 2010," said a senior Railway Ministry
official.
One will be able to visit the Red Fort, Chandni Chowk, National Rail
Museum, historic Old Yamuna Bridge, Humayun's tomb and rail
buildings such as Old Delhi station, Kashmere Gate and Baroda House
travelling by the steam train journey.
"However, we have not decided the fares yet. There will be two
options. One can opt for the round trip or the hop-on-hop-off
ticket," said the official and added a steam loco timetable will be
published soon.
Railways are also trying to involve Delhi government and Tourism
Ministry in its endeavour to make the steam loco experience a
successful venture.
"Steam locomotives are the very heart of Railways' heritage. We will
take all possible measures to promote heritage tourism through our
steam locomotives," Railways Minister Lalu Prasad has said in his
budget speech.
Railway heritage is a veritable treasure. Darjeeling Himalayan
Railways, Nilgiri Mountain Railways and Chatrapati Shivaji Railway
Terminus have all been inscribed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites.
The Kalka Shimla Railway is also likely to be conferred this status
in the near future.
There are about 25 steam locomotives in working condition for
use at identified routes across the country.
"We have made a policy for keeping steam locos alive as part of
our heritage and not to condemn them," said the official and
added "Rewari Steam Centre is being developed as a full-fledged
maintenance facility unit in the country."
"The era of steam is not over in India and for the romance of
steam we will have locomotives for display and for heritage
tourism," said the official.
Besides the steam locos, commissioning of Anand Vihar railway
station and expansion of New Delhi railway station adding four more
platforms are also on the card before the Games.
Work is on for adding more passenger amenities at New Delhi
station, Tilak Bridge station, Sarai Rohilla station and Shakarpur
station, said Sri Prakash, GM of the Northern Railway and added all
these facilities would be ready before the Games. PTI ARU KC
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