New Delhi, Apr 14 (PTI) Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav have launched a new train from Ambedkar Nagar in Madhya Pradesh, B R Ambedkar’s birthplace, to New Delhi via Kota in Rajasthan.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and CM Yadav attended the event on Sunday, the eve of Ambedkar’s birth anniversary, via videoconferencing. Birla and Union Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur, along with other senior leaders, were present at Kota and Ambedkar Nagar station in Madhya Pradesh respectively.

Vaishnaw said the new train — Dr Ambedkar Nagar-Kota-New Delhi 20155/56 Express — connecting Ambedkar’s birthplace with New Delhi is a tribute to his work and role as the chief architect of the Indian Constitution.

He said the railways is also planning to launch a Bharat Gaurav train to connect the Panchteerath — Ambedkar’s place of birth, education, where he adopted Buddhism, place of death and his cremation site — to facilitate visits for his followers.

Calling the new train a gift to the state on the eve of Ambedkar Jayanti, CM Yadav said it will improve connectivity with New Delhi.

“The economic and social development of the state will get a boost and passengers will be able to avail easy, convenient and economical travel,” Yadav said.

Dilip Kumar, Executive Director, Information and Publicity, Railway Board, said, “During its daily normal operation, the train will start from Dr Ambedkar Nagar at 3.30 pm every day and reach New Delhi at 4.25 am the next day morning via Indore, Ujjain and Kota.” For its return journey, the train will start from New Delhi at 11.25 pm and reach its last station, Dr Ambedkar Nagar, at 12.50 pm the next day, he said.

Kumar said the train would cover 848 km in 13 hours, connecting 15 important cities and destinations in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. PTI JP DIV DIV