Mumbai, June 9 (IANS) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday flagged off the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Circuit Railway service under the Gaurav Yatra of Indian Railways, saying that the journey will be an inspiring experience for all the passengers.

He further stated that the work of keeping alive the history of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Independence will be done through this railway.

“Today, more than seven hundred passengers are travelling on this railway. 80 per cent of these passengers are below the age of forty, who are going today to see the history of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Passengers coming from all parts of the state will get the opportunity to experience history through this circuit railway. It has been 351 years since the coronation of Chhatrapati Shivaji. I am happy that this railway is starting service on this day,” said the chief minister.

Stating that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj created Swarajya by defeating the Mughals and foreign invaders, CM Fadnavis said that later this Swarajya expanded to include the Attari.

“Today’s stop of this Gaurav Yatra will be at Raigad. Also, during this Yatra, important places like Shivneri, Lal Mahal, and Shivsruthi of Pune will be visited. Also, Goddess Ambabai of Kolhapur will be visited. Along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, I congratulate the state’s Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar and his department, the Tourism Department,” he said.

On this occasion, Chief Minister Fadnavis wished the passengers and congratulated them on travelling on this very first circuit yatra.

The 5-day special tour includes visits to important historical sites related to the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and history-based programmes. “The arrival of this glorious train at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Mumbai, in coordination with the Government of Maharashtra, will be a grand spectacle of Maharashtra’s culture. Tourists will be provided with detailed information about the tourist places at the places where the Bharat Gaurav train reaches,” said the government release.

The tour includes a visit to the Raigad Fort — Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was crowned here and was the capital; Lal Mahal, Pune — Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj spent his childhood here; Kasba Ganapati and Shiva Culture, Pune — A museum on the life of Pune’s village deity and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj; Shivneri Fort — Birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj; Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga — one of the major religious sites among the 12 Jyotirlingas; Pratapgad Fort — The site of the historic victory over Afzal Khan; Kolhapur — Mahalaxmi Temple; and Panhala Fort — a symbol of the bravery of Bajiprabhu Deshpande.

For making the experience of all the passengers pleasant and memorable, the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation officials, in coordination with AirCTC, will guide them at every stage. In this 5-day journey, from railway stations to the forts of the Maharajas, tourists will be able to enjoy while observing the footprints of history at every place.

Tourists travelling by train on Monday were welcomed at the railway station by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation to the sound of traditional drums and cymbals, said the government release.

On this occasion, Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar, Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar, Cultural Department Secretary Vikas Kharge, Tourism Principal Secretary Atul Patne, Managing Director of Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation Manoj Kumar Suryavanshi, General Manager of Indian Railways Dharamveer Meena, IRCTC’s Rahul Himalian, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation General Manager Chandrashekhar Jaiswal, Senior Manager Sanjay Dhekane, along with railway officials and passengers were present.

–IANS

sj/dpb