Delhi-Ludhiana 'Sarbat Da Bhalla Express' train flagged off

New Delhi: Railways Minister Piyush Goyal and Union Ministers Harsh Vardhan and Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Friday flagged off ‘Sarbat Da Bhalla Express’ at New Delhi railway station. The renamed New Delhi-Ludhiana Intercity will ply from Delhi to Lohian Khas via holy city Sultanpur Lodhi. The request to rename the train was made by Union Food Processing Industries Minister Badal on the occasion of the 550th Parkash Purb celebrations.

In a statement, Badal had said: “Sarbat Da Bhala or ‘Blessings for All’ formed the essence of Guru Nanak Dev’s teachings. It will be the most appropriate to rename the train as such.” Before flagging off the train, Health Minister Vardhan said: “Several trains have been started by the government to facilitate people. This train will have blessings of Guru Nanak ji. It is a gift for Delhites and countrymen.

Also, a 6 metre skywalk is being constructed to connect New Delhi station to airport metro and yellow line.” Terming Guru Nanak as a messenger of peace, Goyal said that the joy and



celebrations to participate in the 550th anniversary of Nanak on November 12, is unimaginable. “Renaming of this train is an initiative to follow a path shown by Nanak ji. We all should imbibe his teachings in life,” he added.

“It is a historic moment for Sikhs. I congratulate Piyush Goyal for accepting my request of renaming the train. In Sultanpur Lodhi, Nanak ji spent 14 years of his life and taught that all communities are one. No Hindu no Muslim, only Ek Omkar,” Badal said. She further said that Rs 22 crore were sanctioned by the Railway Ministry to upgrade Sultanpur Lodhi railway station and to launch 14 new trains so that people from various parts of Punjab can go there as there are seven sacred places.

She thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking up the Karatar Corridor initiative and fulfilling the 70-year-old dream of Sikh community. The train was flagged off from New Delhi Railway Station on Friday at 6.30 am and it would reach Sultanpur Lodhi at 2.38 pm.