The Railway Ministry has decided to operate 20 pairs of “clone” trains from September 21 to cater to passenger demand on popular routes, including services between Bengaluru-Danapur and Yeshwantpur-Hazrath Nizamuddin (Karnataka Sampark Kranthi Express).
A September 14 notification from the Railway Board said the clone trains would be in addition to Shramik Specials and regular Special trains that are already in operation and would run on notified timings. They would be fully reserved trains with advance reservation window of 10 days.
Train No. 06509 Bengaluru-Danapur would leave Bengaluru at 8 p.m. on Mondays while Train No. 06510 Danapur-Bengaluru would leave Danapur at 6.10 pm on Wednesdays via Chennai, Vijaywada, Nagpur, Itarsi and Prayagraj.
The Yeshwantpur-Hazrath Nizamuddin (Karnataka Sampark Kranthi) would leave Yeshwantpur (06523) at 1.55 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays while Train No. 06524 would leave Nizamuddin on Saturdays and Tuesdays. It runs via Hubballi, Belagavi, Miraj, Pune and Bhopal.
One pair of clone train, No. 04251/04252 Lucknow-Delhi-Lucknow special, would utilise the rakes of Jan Shatabdi coaches with 15 chair cars, five AC chair cars and two luggage-cum-generator vans and have Jan Shatabdi fares.
The remaining 19 pairs would utilise Humsafar rakes, 12 3-Tier AC coaches, four second class sleeper coaches and two lugage-cum-generator van coaches and have Humsafar fares, the notification said. However, zones could review the coach composition of clone special trains, the Ministry said.
Commercial halts would be limited to operational halts or divisional headquarters en route while suggestions from state governments concerned should also be kept while restricting halts, the Ministry said.
