MOTIHARI: Prime Minister
Narendra Modi will flag off ‘Swachhagraha Express’ from Bapudham railway station during his visit to
Motihari on April 10 to mark the concluding ceremony of Champaran Satyagraha centenary celebrations by the state government. The government is spending Rs7 crore on the renovation of Bapudham station.
Officials said the train would travel through all major railway stations in the country over the next six months. Its 14 coaches would be adorned with the slogans of cleanliness and photographs of Mahatma Gandhi to spread the message of ‘swachhta’.
PM would also lay the foundation stones for a number of projects and inaugurate some schemes during the main function at Gandhi Maidan. He would also felicitate selected Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) volunteers and freedom fighters, the officials said. CM Nitish Kumar, Union minister Radha Mohan Singh and other dignitaries would be present on the occasion.
A tent city to accommodate 25,000 SBM volunteers is being erected at the local aerodrome ground in Bariyarpur locality. The tent city will have boarding and lodging facility with toilets for the volunteers and workers.
“Apart from the tent city, almost all the hotels in the town have been booked for senior political leaders and other dignitaries,” East Champaran district magistrate Raman Kumar told this correspondent.
He said East Champaran would be declared open defecation free by March 31, 10 days before the PM’s proposed visit. The DM said 10,000 of the SMB volunteers would be from other states. “Fascinating cultural events have been planned for volunteers and locals on the occasion,” he added.
Police officials said the entire town would be cordoned off as 12 check posts and eight drop gates would be installed on the entry and exit points. A temporary police outpost at Aerodrome Chowk, Gyanbabu Chowk and Gandhi Chowk would be set up to keep close vigil on any movement, they said.
