23-04-2025
Rail tour commemorating Shivaji cut short
Mumbai: Barely ten days after the announcement of a special, 10-day-long railway tourism package to commemorate Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the Indian Railways is mulling changes in the terminal station and duration of the tour. According to sources in the railways, the tour is now likely to start from Mumbai instead of Delhi and its duration is likely to be restricted to four days.
'The itinerary and destinations on the route will remain the same. But we are mulling changes in departure and arrival of the round-trip tour from Mumbai, subject to final approvals,' a railway official told Hindustan Times.
Tariffs for the tour are also likely to be reduced by around 15-20% from the proposed ₹19,000-47,000, the official added.
The 'Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the Glorious Maratha Tour', to be operated by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), was announced by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on April 11.
The tour offers a chance for travel enthusiasts to explore forts, temples, and heritage sites in the state linked to the legendary Maratha ruler. Sites that are part of the tour package include Raigad fort, Bhimashankar temple, Shivneri fort, Shirdi, Nashik, Trimbakeshwar, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Ellora and Grishneshwar temple.
The special train for the tour will have AC II, AC III, and non-AC sleeper coaches. The tour is slated to start on July 16, and bookings are likely to commence soon.
