Prez Ram Nath Kovind embarks on train journey to visit birthplace in Uttar Pradesh. See photos
PremiumThis is the first time that Prez Ram Nath Kovind will visit his birthplace after becoming the president
President Ram Nath Kovind today embarked on a train journey to visit his birthplace in Uttar Pradesh, where he will interact with his old acquaintances from school days and the early days of his social service.
It would be after a gap of 15 years that an incumbent president is travelling by train.
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“President Kovind boards a special presidential train from Safdarjung railway station to Kanpur. The train will make two stop-overs, at Jhinjhak and Rura of Kanpur Dehat, and will reach Kanpur Central in the evening," the Rashtrapati Bhavan tweeted.
"The service of the Presidential Saloon which was use since independence had been discontinued on the instructions of the Hon'ble President. This saved the exchequer crores of rupees annually utilized in the making and maintenance of the Saloon. Post covid as the country enters into the resurgence and rebuilding mode Indian Railways had requested the Hon'ble President to travel by the people's transport," according to a statement buy the Indian Railways.
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"A special train service was run for his excellency to travel from Delhi to his native village. This move will be a great morale booster for the Railwaymen who have diligently given their services throughout the difficult pandemic times. This will also help to encourage and build confidence amongst the people to use the trains to travel for business, tourism and other purposes to different parts of the country," the statement further added.
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal can also be seen in pictures tweeted by the Rashtrapati Bhavan of the president boarding the train.
This is the first time that Kovind will visit his birthplace after becoming the president.
Though he had desired to visit the place earlier, it could not materialise because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“As he boards the train, the president will be travelling down the memory lane that will cover a span of seven decades of his life, right from his childhood to holding the top constitutional position in the country," a statement issued on Wednesday by the Rashtrapati Bhavan had said.
The two stop-overs at Jhinjhak and Rura are close to the president's birthplace, Paraunkh village in Kanpur Dehat.
The last time a president travelled by train was in 2006 when A P J Abdul Kalam boarded a special train from Delhi to Dehradun to attend the passing-out parade of the Indian Military Academy (IMA) cadets.
Records show that the country's first president, Rajendra Prasad, often undertook train journeys, the Rashtrapati Bhavan had said.
Soon after taking office as the president, he visited his birthplace, Ziradei in Bihar's Siwan district.
Prasad boarded the president's special train from Chhapra to reach Ziradei, where he spent three days, the statement said.
He travelled across the country by train.
Prasad's successors also preferred train journeys to connect with the people of the country.
On June 28, Kovind will board the train at the Kanpur Central Railway Station to reach Lucknow for his visit to the capital city of Uttar Pradesh.
On June 29, he will return to New Delhi on a special flight.
* With inputs from agencies
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