Ambedkar: Ambedkar train’s maiden run to begin on his birth anniversary this Friday | India News

NEW DELHI: In its bid to bring focus on his ideology and its relevance in the current times, the central government will launch the first “Ambedkar Yatra” train tour on Friday, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar, the architect of Indian Constitution.
The special train under the ‘Bharat Gaurav’ scheme with around 600 passengers will leave for the eight-day tour from Delhi to places associated with the life of Ambedkar and the Buddhist heritage.
April 14 is celebrated across the country as ‘Ambedkar Jayanti’. The “Baba Saheb Ambedkar Yatra” train will depart from Safdarjung railway station in Delhi and will take the passengers first to Ambedkar’s birth place in Mhow in Madhya Pradesh.
The tour package includes food and lodging at the place where they may halt overnight. They will also get to visit the “Diksha bhoomi” — the place where Ambedkar adopted Buddhism in Nagpur. The government has also included a trip to Buddhist sites at Sanchi, Sarnath, Bodh Gaya, Rajgir and Nalanda in this yatra.
The ticketing and catering arms of railways, IRCTC, has been operating different theme-based “Bharat Gaurav” trains such as Guru Kripa Yatra, Garvi Gujarat, North East Discovery, Ramayan Yatra and Shri Jagannath Yatra. These are also part of the government’s “Dekho Apna Desh” scheme.
This tour has been brought together with the initiative of the ministries of railways, tourism, social justice and Dr Ambedkar Foundation, officials said. According to officials, it is proposed that before boarding the train from Delhi, a visit will be organised to the Ambedkar memorial that is in the shape of an open book representing the Indian Constitution at his place of demise in Delhi.