Vivek Express gets poor response in Jammu

Vivek Express gets poor response in Jammu Archit Watts/TNS

Jammu, November 20
A special train “Vivek Express”, an initiative of the Railways to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, got a poor response of visitors on its first-day halt at Jammu Tawi railway station here.

The train, with a mobile museum in two coaches, will be stationed here till November 23. It has been specially made to exhibit the story of Ramakrishna Mission and how Swami Vivekananda set it up. It also throws light on the life of Swami Vivekananda with the help of portraits.

After travelling in 15 states, when the doors of this mobile museum were today opened to visitors in Jammu, there were hardly any visitors who came to see the mobile museum except of railway officials, .

Till 3.30 pm, only 260 persons had come to see the train. Officials travelling with the train blamed the staff of the local railway station for getting a poor response here.

“In other cities, hundreds of people came to see the exhibition. But, here at the 102nd stoppage of its journey, the train got almost nil response,” said Chandershekhar Prasad Verma, in charge of the train. “The local railways authorities have completely failed to give publicity to the train. Not a single banner has been put up anywhere at the railway station. The officials here are not even making announcements at the platforms. How will the public come to see this train?”

He further said that 8.5 lakh people had visited the train to see the exhibition, since it started the journey from Howrah on January 12, 2010. “At some places, it received an overwhelming response. At Madurai in Tamil Nadu, 22,800 people came to see the exhibition in just one day. Now, you can better understand the difference in response here,” said Verma.

The train, which last evening arrived here from Punjab, will leave for Haridwar on the night of November 23. The entry is free and anyone can visit the mobile museum from 10 am to 6 pm.

Cadets of Northern Railways’ Scouts and Guides are maintaining a register to get the feedback of visitors.

“May be because of Sunday, the train got few visitors today. But, the local railway staff has been trying to draw more visitors,” said Narinder Kumar, in charge, Scouts and Guides, Jammu Tawi railway station.

Visitors look at posters and material on life and teachings of Swami Vivekananda in Vivek Express, which reached Jammu on Sunday. Tribune photo: Anand Sharma