The Indian Express                17.09.2013

Vadodara gets gift: Rs 5 cr toy train at zoo

To mark the birthday of Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the Vadodara Municipal Corporation will launch a Rs 5-crore toy train, Sayaji Express, at the city zoo on Tuesday.

The civic body has projected the launch as Modi's gift to Vadodara residents. The VMC has put up several hoardings announcing the train, which will run over a 2.3-km stretch.

The train is much bigger than the previous one, Udyanpari, which was gifted to the zoo by erstwhile ruler of Baroda Maharaja Ranjitsinh Gaekwad.

"Gift of toy train to Barodians on the occasion of the birthday of Chief Minister Narendra Modi," read hoardings across the city. "We have managed to complete the task of setting up infrastructure to run the train before the CM's birthday," said a VMC official.

The four-bogie toy train, imported from the UK, has a seating capacity of 144 people. While the cost of the train is Rs 5 crore, another Rs 4.5 crore was invested on laying the tracks and maintenance under the public-private partnership model.