Amarkantak Express: Holy for Railfans as holy as Amarkantak is for devotees. - Ayan G

#ObservationsAtPune *** On This Date in History!!! 8 Years Ago Today!!! ***
* 2360/2359 Patna-Kolkata-Patna Garib Rath flagged off on 23-Jan-2008!
* 2150/2149 Patna-Pune-Patna Exp flagged off to make the train run 4 days a week (instead of biweekly)
* 5102/5101 Chhapra-Mumbai-Chhapra Janasadharan Express flagged off!
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2 new trains (announced in last budget) finally start!
Here is the relevant news: Lalu Prasad flag off new Patna-Kolkata Garib Rath Express
Patna | Wednesday, Jan 23 2008
Railway Minister Lalu Prasad tonight flagged off the thrice a week ''Garib Rath'' Express between Patna and Kolkata, ending a long-
standing demand of passengers. The 2359/2360 Express comprising 12 air-conditioned coaches would leave Patna junction every Sunday, Wednesday and Friday at 2000 hrs to reach Kolkata at 0530 hours next morning. On return journey, the train would depart for Kolkata on every Monday, Thursday and Saturdays at 2030 hrs to reach here early next morning.
With the introduction of the new Garib Rath, the Railway Minister said a long standing demand of the common passengers to travel in AC coaches to Kolkata in reduced rate had been met. Moreover, the decision to introduce the new Superfast train was taken keeping in view the increasing demand for tickets on the 533 km route, he said.
Mr Prasad also flagged off the Patna-Pune Express (2149/2150) under a new time schedule as it would now run four times a week instead of twice a week earlier following increasing demand for tickets. Earlier in another programme today, the Railway Minister also flagged off the inaugural run of Chapra-Mumbai(5101/5102) 'Jansadharan weekly Express' at Chapra railway junction in north Bihar. Reference / Source : Please click here