Prez Ram Nath Kovind to travel by rail after 18 years, to visit his ancestral village
Wednesday, 23 June 2021 (17:05 IST)
Kanpur/Lucknow: President Ram Nath Kovind will grace train journey after eighteen years following in the footsteps of former president APJ Abdul Kalam.
The Presidential Express, which will run with the coaches of the Maharaja Express operated by IRCTC, will chug off from Delhi on June 25 for Kanpur.
President would be accompanied by his wife and other members in this VVIP train, which will start from Delhi at around 1330 hours and will reach Kanpur at 1900 hours on Friday next.
During his four days visit to Uttar Pradesh, the President for the first time will visit his ancestral village Paraunkh in Kanpur Dehat district after becoming the President though he had visited Kanpur city three times before.
The President will go to his native village likely by train on June 27 and thereafter will board the Presidential express to reach Lucknow on June 28 on his return to national capital.
Former President late APJ Abdul Kalam had travelled to Bihar in a railway saloon on May 30, 2003.
Meanwhile, railways have made special arrangements for the travel of the President by the Presidential express train along with security cover even on the tracks.
The railways, has also reserved platforms at Kanpur Central and Charbagh stations for parking the Presidential express trains.
The Presidential express train is expected to be of 14 coaches, which will carry Rashtrapati Bhawan staff, railway staff and security personnel.
The 7-star Presidential suite is a bullet proof coach with 2 bedrooms, one living room, 2 bathrooms along with live TV, wi-fi and hotline. The President secretariat will also be housed in the special train. (UNI)
