Rousing reception given to Shraddha Sethu express

The express halts briefly at Kumbakonam station

Train travellers accorded a rousing reception to the new express service Shraddha Sethu Express that halted briefly in Kumbakonam station on Monday during its inaugural run between Rameswaram and Faizabad.

Faizabad MP Lallu Singh had made an appeal to the Railway Ministry for a new train service connecting two important Ramayan centres Ayodhya and Rameswaram. The Thajavur District Train Travellers Association appealed to Mr. Singh to seek the service linking Kumbakonam, also called Dakshin Ayodhya.

The pleas got fructified and Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the inaugural service from Rameswaram on July 27. But to the surprise of the Association members the train halted only in Thanjavur and the members took the issue up with Mayiladuthurai MP R.K. Bharathi Mohan who petitioned the Ministry for a halt at Kumbakonam.

Consequently, the first regular trip of the Shraddha Sethu Express arrived at Kumbakonam Station at 7.50 a.m. on Monday.

Mr. Bharathi Mohan, Thanjavur MLA M. Rengasamy, Association vice-president A. Giri, secretary Dinesh Kumar, Papanasam Train Travellers Welfare Association president T. Saravanan, All Traders Association secretary V. Sathyanarayanan gathered at the Station to receive the train.

A twist of novelty was provided at the reception with the chief priest from the Dakshin Ayodhya Sri Ramaswamy temple Soundararaja Bhattar performed a small puja, offered the temple’s sacred garland and distributed temple prasadam to the crew and passengers. Loco pilots Arvind Sreekumar and Karthikeyan as also the train guard Balu were honoured on the occasion.

Later, the train left Kumbakonam for Faizabad. The train leave Rameswaram on Sundays to reach Kumbakonam on Monday to reach Ayodhya on Wednesday. On return, the service will leave Faizabad on Wednesdays to reach Kumbakonam on Saturdays to reach Rameswaram the same day.

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