The Commonwealth Express, a special exhibition train designed to promote the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, will reach to reach capital on Wednesday August 25 on the Kerala leg of its nation-wide journey.
The train also has Exhibition on wheels showcases Commonwealth Games memorabilia Exhibition open for public from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on August 25 and 26.
The train that was flagged off from Delhi on June 24 has 11 coaches – five of which feature rare Commonwealth Games memorabilia, and six of which are devoted to showcasing Information Technology.
The train, which is coming from Madurai in Tamil Nadu, will halt here for two days before proceeding to Kollam on August 27 and to Ernakulam on August 28. The exhibition will be open for public on these dates from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. After August 28, the train will return to Delhi via Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
“By endorsing ICT through Commonwealth Express, Indian Railways has taken the initiative of spreading the essence of IT to the citizens who are not yet exposed to the opportunities generated by the sector. We are also leaving no stone unturned to ensure that Kerala's IT journey is highlighted through this exhibition,” Rathan Kelkar, Director, Kerala State Information Technology Mission (KSITM) told a press conference.
“Indian Railways' e-governance initiatives are commendable, like e-ticketing and Corporate Wide Information System (CWIS). It is a role model for other organisations in implementing e-governance successfully,” said Mervin Alexander, CEO, Technopark.
The Commonwealth Express is being run jointly by the Ministry of Railways through its Railway Sports Promotion Board and the Ministry of Communication & Information Technology.
M. Nanda Kumar, Director, Department of Information and Public Relations; Korath V. Mathew, Director, Akshaya; and Elizabeth Sherly, Director, Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management – Kerala, were present at the press conference.