Traveling by train is one of the most comfortable and economical ways in the country. India’s railway network is very large and daily lakhs of passengers travel by train.
Trains have all class (General, Sleeper and AC) options for passengers to travel and their charges are also different, but do you know that there is a train running in the country in which the journey is absolutely free. (Indian Railway Free Train) and people do not have to pay for the ticket.
On which route does this train run?
This train is run on the border of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, in which no fare is charged from the passengers, named Bhakra-Nangal Train. Actually, this train is managed by Bhakra Byas Management Board. This train runs between Bhakra and Nangal and covers a distance of 13 kms.
There is no TTE in this train either.
The Bhakra-Nangal train passes through the Sutlej river and the Shivalik hills. No fare is charged from the passengers traveling in it and people enjoy their journey for free. Not only this, there is no TTE to check tickets in this train.
Why is this train run for free?
Actually, the world-famous Bhakra-Nangal Dam is famous as the highest straight gravity dam and a large number of people come daily to see it. This special Bhakra-Nangal train is run for these tourists only. All the people coming to see Bhakra-Nangal Dam can enjoy free travel in this train.
was started in the year 1948
The Bhakra-Nangal train was started in the year 1948 and initially this train was run by steam engine, but now it is run by diesel engine. Earlier there were 10 coaches in this train, but now it has been reduced and only 3 bogies are used in this train. The specialty of this train is that its coaches are made of wood and runs on a track made by cutting mountains. Three tunnels have also been built on the track through which the Bhakra-Nangal train passes.
The train is run as a heritage
In the year 2011, the Bhakra Byas Management Board had decided to discontinue the free service in view of the economic loss, but later it was decided to run it as a legacy, not considering it as an income source.
