Delhi-Mumbai Garib Rath flagged off

NEW DELHI: As part of his commitment to provide affordable air-conditioned train services to long-distance travellers, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad on Thursday flagged off the fourth Garib Rath train between Delhi and Mumbai.

The tri-weekly Hazrat Nizamuddin-Bandra Terminus Garib Rath Express was flagged off from Nizamuddin Railway Station here in the presence of Minister of State for Railways R Velu and Railway Board Chairman Naranbhai J Rathwa among others.

The train will run via Kota, Ratlam, Vadodara, Surat and Borivali, Railway officials said.

The journey in three-tier air-conditioned coach of the train will cost Rs 667, which is almost 40 per cent less than the AC fare of other trains. Ticket in its AC chair car will be Rs 552.

The train will leave Nizamuddin on every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, while it will start from Bandra Terminus on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

The AC sleeper coach of the train has the capacity of 75 berths instead of the usual 64 and the chaircar has a capacity of 102 seats.

Other three Garib Rath trains have been flagged off between Delhi-Chennai, Delhi-Patna and Saharsa-Amritsar.

Prasad had announced launching of four Garib Rath trains in the railway budget 2006-07.