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.
