PM Modi Flags Off Pravasi Bharatiya Express, A Special Tourist Train For NRIs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi remotely flagged off the inaugural journey of the Pravasi Bharatiya Express, a special tourist train for the Indian diaspora, on Thursday.

The train will travel to various tourism and religious destinations across India over three weeks. This initiative is part of the Pravasi Teertha Darshan Yojana of the Ministry of External Affairs.

The Pravasi Bharatiya Express is a special state-of-the-art tourist train exclusively designed and built for the Indian diaspora, specifically for those between 45 and 65 years old.

Starting on its launch day, January 9, the train will travel to multiple destinations across the nation for three weeks, including prominent tourist and religious places.

The Modi-led government has deliberately chosen January 9, 2025, to flag off the special train. This date commemorates Mahatma Gandhi’s return from South Africa to India on this date in 1915.

The train departs from Safdarjung Railway Station in New Delhi and travels the following route: New Delhi—Ayodhya—Patna—Gaya—Varanasi—Mahabalipuram—Rameswaram—Madurai—Kochi—Goa—Ekta Nagar (Kevadia)—Ajmer—Pushkar—Agra. The train can accommodate 156 passengers.

This tour, organised under the Ministry of External Affairs in collaboration with the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), aims to connect the Indian diaspora to its roots.

Indian Embassies worldwide had invited applications from participants, with a preference to Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) belonging to the low-income category who would otherwise not be able to afford to visit India on their own.

A statement of the ministry said that it will bear all expenses for the aforesaid conducted train tour and 90 percent of the return airfares for eligible people from their countries of origin to India. The participants need to bear only 10 percent of their return airfares. The travellers will be accommodated at 4-star or similar category hotels as per the tour itinerary.

–IANS

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