• By Abhirupa Kundu
  • Sat, 16 Sep 2023 09:01 AM (IST)
  • Source:JND
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Ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis flagged off the Ganpati Special train named "Namo Express" to Sawantwadi in Konkan from Mumbai's Dadar station in view of the upcoming festival. Six special trains and 338 buses for devotees going to Konkan region for the Gnapati festival have been arranged by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra, said Fadnavis.

The Ganpati special train 'Namo Express' will make stops at various stations in Konkan, including Ratnagiri, Mangalore, and Karwar. The special festival train is expected to carry over 1,000 passengers.

"Flagging off 'Namo Express' from Dadar to Sawantwadi (Konkan Ganpati Special Train)," Fadnavis wrote on social media paltform 'X', formerly Twitter. 

Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis flagging off Ganpati Special Train, Namo Express. (Photo credit: @Dev_Fadnavis)

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"Maharashtra BJP has arranged six special trains and 338 buses for devotees going to the Konkan region for the upcoming Ganpati festival so that passengers don't face any difficulty in reaching their designated place," Fadnavis said. 

"Our Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar and cabinet Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha and all our team are working to make an arrangement like every year we do. This year we are trying to do it on a larger scale," he added.

The Central Railway is running 156 Ganpati Special trains in view of the festival and the bookings have opened for these.

The Ganesh Chaturthi festival is scheduled to begin on September 19 and continue for ten days until September 29.

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The 10-day festival ends when the idol is carried in a public procession with music and group chanting, then immersed in nearby water bodies such as a river or sea. The entire process is called visarjan held on the day of Anant Chaturdashi.