PATNA: The East Central Railway, headquartered at Hajipur, will host a unique celebration on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi at Bapudham railway station at Motihari in Champaran on October 2.
Gandhi arrived for the first time in Champaran on April 15, 1917 by a train from Muzaffarpur at Motihari railway station on the call of local peasants subjected to extreme levels of exploitation by British officials who forced them to grow indigo on their lands and supply it free of cost.
The Motihari railway station has been renamed Bapudharm station and beautified with paintings depicting Gandhi's struggle for independence.
Chief spokesperson of East Central Railway Rajesh Kumar said, "The Bapudham railway station witnessed the turning point in Gandhi's transformation from Mohandas to Mahatma. This zone plans to run a superfast 12557-Saptakranti Express on the theme 'Mohan to Mahatma' between Muzaffarpur and Anand Vihar via Bapudharm station."
From October 2, the Saptkaranti Express train commemorating Gandhi Jayanti will run with a new rake of LHB coaches.
"Around 66 pictures would be displayed on each of the 22 LHB coaches of this train giving a peek into Gandhi's struggles during the freedom movement including his activities in Champaran," Kumar said, adding that the railway board selected the theme.
Almost all local MPs have been invited to Bapudham on October 2 to celebrate Gandhi Jayanti. Railway officials, led by Trivedi, will render 'sharmdan' at the station and garland the life-size statue of Gandhi.
Apart from this, the serving of non-vegetarian food by the pantry cars of all trains has also been banned on October 2.