Shirdi, (Maharashtra), Aug 27 (IANS): The famous temple town of Shirdi, the abode of the Saibaba, was put on the country's railway map with the inauguration Friday of a tri-weekly superfast train connecting it with Mumbai.

Chief Minister Ashok Chavan flagged off the special Sainagar Shirdi-Dadar train at Sainagar Shirdi, the railway station named after Maharashtra's most popular and famous saint.

The inaugural train was bedecked with flowers and festoons with a huge poster of the Saibaba on the engine.

Chavan also announced the extension of the Manmad-Secunderabad Express, Manmad-Kakinada Town Express and Manmad-Vijayawada Express up to Shirdi to facilitate devotees.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that the new train service connecting Mumbai with Shirdi would prove to be a boon for millions of Saibaba devotees from India and abroad who throng there round the year.

A Central Railway official said that the tri-weekly train will leave Dadar at 9.45 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, arriving at Sainagar Shirdi the following morning at 3.55 a.m.

In the return direction, the train will leave Sainagar Shirdi at 10 a.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, arriving at Dadar at 16.05 p.m the same day.

En route, it will have halts at Thane, Kalyan, Igatpuri, Nashik Road, Manmad and Kopargaon in both directions during the 240-km long journey.

The train has 18 coaches, including one airconditioned two-tier, one airconditioned three-tier, eight sleeper, six general second class and two luggage-cum-brake vans.