AMRITSAR: Sudden decision of the railway authorities to withdraw Jammu-Nanded special train has left the Sikh diaspora especially the NRIs disappointed.
The special train was a convenient way of travelling for the Sikh pilgrims who wanted to pay obeisance at Takht Hazur Sahib, Nanded, Maharashtra as the Sachkhand Express which commutes daily from Amritsar to Nanded is always overbooked.
It may be mentioned here that Sachkhand Hazur Sahib is one of the most revered sites by the Sikh community where tenth Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh breathed his last. The inner room of the gurdwara called Angitha Sahib is built where the Sikh guru was cremated in 1708. The gurdwara was constructed from 1832 to 1837 by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
The train would make its last journey on November 26. Divisional railway manager, Ferozepur division, Naresh Chander Goyal said as it was a special train, it was upto the railway ministry to extend it or not.Meanwhile, one of the pilgrims while expressing his disappointment for the withdrawal of Jammu-Nanded special train rued only six tickets were available in the Sachkhand Express in the last week of February.
He further said that they will also urge Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Avtar Singh Makkar to take up the issue with railway authorities not to withdraw the special train service.
