PM Modi flags off Pravasi Bharatiya Express
BHUBANESWAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Pravasi Bharatiya Express, a special tourist train for the Indian diaspora.
After inaugurating the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention, the Prime Minister announced the launch of the special state-of-the-art tourist train that commenced its journey from Safdarjung Railway Station in New Delhi.
The train has been exclusively designed for Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) aged between 45 and 65 years and belonging to low-income categories. It aims to reconnect them with their cultural roots.
Encouraging everyone to visit numerous significant places of attraction in Odisha, PM stated that special trains like the Ramayana Express provided access to places associated with Lord Ram and Sita Mata.
He added that Bharat Gaurav trains connected important heritage sites across the country and semi-high-speed Vande Bharat trains link major heritage cities.
The launch of Pravasi Bharatiya Express commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India on January 9 in 1915.
The train has been introduced by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in collaboration with the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).
The train will cover multiple destinations of touristic and religious significance, including Ayodhya, Patna, Gaya, Varanasi, Mahabalipuram, Rameshwaram, Madurai, Kochi, Goa, Ekta Nagar (Kevadia), Ajmer, Pushkar and Agra.
Carrying around 156 travellers, the train will complete the journey in three weeks.
Under the Pravasi Teerth Darshan Yojana (PTDY) scheme, the Centre will bear all expenses related to the conducted train tour.
Additionally, the government will cover 90 per cent of the airfare from the participants' country of origin to India. Participants will have to bear only 10 per cent of their return airfare.
Sources said, PIOs aged between 45 and 65 years, preferably from low-income categories, are eligible to travel in the train.
The NRI travellers were selected through an application process by their respective Indian embassies or consulates for the inaugural journey.
Selected travellers were also informed about the payment procedure for the 10 per cent share of their return airfare.
Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw were present among others.