Indian Railways to Commemorate 350th Martyrdom Day of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji to Aware The Younger Generation About His Teachings And Sacrifices
Indian Railways to Commemorate 350th Martyrdom Day of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji to Aware The Younger Generation About His Teachings And Sacrifices
Indian Railways, under the guidance of the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, is set to commemorate the 350th Martyrdom day of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji in a respectful manner. This initiative aims to spread awareness among the younger generation about the teachings and sacrifices of the revered Sikh Guru.
Addressing a high-level meeting held today at Rail Bhawan New Delhi, Shri Ravneet Singh, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries, said that Indian Railways welcomes the valuable suggestions provided by leaders of various Sikh institutions for the commemoration of this historic event. This initiative marks a historic collaboration between Indian Railways and the Sikh community to honor the legacy of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, the ninth Guru of the Sikhs, whose supreme sacrifice for religious freedom continues to inspire generations.
Shri Ravneet Singh informed that this was the first time a dedicated meeting was held at Rail Bhawan to discuss the requirements and suggestions from all major Sikh organizations for the upcoming Shatabdi (centenary) commemorations. Discussions were held on to Display of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji’s Shlokas at all railway stations and on trains across India; Special commemorative trains to be operated from different locations during the Shatabdi period; Punjabi signboards to be installed at all railway stations in Haryana, Patna, and Hazur Sahib; Enhanced cleanliness and hygiene in trains such as the Sachkhand Express; along with provision of Langar (community meals) on board; Improvement in facilities on all pilgrimage (Yatra) trains and increased connectivity to major Sikh pilgrimage destinations, especially Delhi. Various proposals were put forward, including the renaming of Delhi Railway Station as Guru Tegh Bahadur Railway Station; Daily train services to Takht Sri Patna Sahib with pantry car facilities and better infrastructure at Patna Sahib station, including lifts and escalators; Improved hygiene at pilgrimage stations and better accessibility to Patna Sahib via the Vande Bharat Express; Launch of a special train connecting the Five Takhts for a duration of three months; Increased train stoppages at key locations like Karnal and Kurukshetra; Enhanced connectivity to Hazoor Sahib and other Takhts through modern trains such as the Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat Express.
Chairman, Railway Board Shri Satish Kumar assured all representatives that Indian Railways would give due consideration to the suggestions and take appropriate steps to ensure the success of the Shatabdi commemorations. The meeting was attended by prominent Sikh leaders and representatives, including S. Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Cabinet Minister, Govt. of NCT of Delhi, S. Gurcharan Grewal, General Secretary, Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), S. Jagjot Singh Sohi, President, Takht Sri Patna Sahib, S. Jagdish Singh Jhinda, President, Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, Dr. Vijay Satbir Singh, Administrator, Hazoor Sahib Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, S. Tarlochan Singh, Former MP, Rajya Sabha, S. Vikramjit Singh Sahney, MP, Rajya Sabha and President, World Punjabi Organisation.
Senior Railway officials who attended the meeting included, Shri Naveen Gulati, Member (Infrastructure), Shri Hitendra Malhotra, Member (Operations & Business Development), Shri Ashok Kumar Verma, General Manager, Northern Railway, Shri Sanjay Kumar Jain, CMD, IRCTC and Shri Dhananjay Singh, Executive Director (PG), Ministry of Railways.