the goan I network
MARGAO
They stood in a queue for well around 28 hours, bearing all the heat and humidity, just to lay their hands on a much-sought after train ticket to Vailankani for the annual pilgrimage, but returned home disappointed after being told the tickets for the direct train were all exhausted.
Given that the Novenas fall on August 29, the devotees had come in large numbers at the railway station since the wee hours of Saturday at around 4 am with the hope of getting the tickets of the August 26 direct train, but in vain.
Only a lone devotee managed to get a Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC) ticket with great difficulty, while others had the option of purchasing waiting list tickets.
Left with no other option, most of the devotees, who were standing in a queue, are believed to have later opted for tickets on other trains heading to Tamil Nadu via Kerala and Bengaluru.
A resident of Aquem-Baixo, Inacio Dias, who has been attending the annual novenas of Our Lady of Vailankani for over two decades now, said the railway authorities should provide a quota of seats for pilgrims, who have no access to on-line booking of tickets.
“We have no objection to on-line booking. However, a small quota of tickets at the railway station would have gone a long way in helping people, who have no access to on-line booking,” Inacio said.
Inacio and other devotees also raised the issue of deploying special trains to Vailankani before the novenas. And, they made a fervent plea to the railway authorities as well as the government to announce the running of the special trains from Margao to Vailankani at least five days in advance so that people also get an opportunity to buy the tickets.
“Our experience shows that the special trains are announced just hours before the departure and it does not help the common man much,” Inacio said, while demanding that the authorities also run a special train to bring back the devotees after the feast of Our Lady of Vailankani on September 8.
Thousands of pilgrims head to Vailankani in Tamil Nadu for the annual novenas and feast of Our Lady of
Vailankani.
While the authorities had introduced a direct train to Vailankani, and also run special trains during the novenas and feast of Our Lady, devotees continue to face hardships as the transport facilities have not kept pace with the growing requirements of the devotees especially during the novenas.
