Railway stations all over the country will be the focus of attention on Gandhi Jayanti on Thursday. While Government agencies will carry out cleanliness and sanitation campaigns as part of the Swachchh Bharat campaign (Clean India Mission), the scale and magnitude of the exercise in railways is expected to be unparalleled as it is the largest Government agency to carry out the campaign at more than 7,800 railway stations all over the country at the same time.
Preparations started two weeks back, but the formal launch of the campaign for total sanitation at railway stations will be launched on the Gandhi Jayanti. All railway stations under the East Coast Railway (ECoR) are accordingly being spruced up. Officers have been nominated for each station. Eminent personalities, including Union Ministers, Members of Parliament and other dignitaries from public life will be at the railway stations to launch the campaign.
At the Bhubaneswar railway station, Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan will formally launch the campaign while at the Visakhapatnam station, the inauguration will be done by Union Minister for Civil Aviation P Ashok Gajapati Raju. ECoR officials are leaving so stone unturned to put up a good show. The functions at each station is to be marked by a sense of dedication, responsibility and commitment to the call for Clean India, Swachh Bharat.
Besides actual cleaning of the stations by railway officials and volunteers, NGOs, etc., an awareness drive to educate the masses will also be launched. Pamphlets will be released and distributed to people. Attractive stickers, banners and posters have also been prepared by the Railways for the occasion. Special focus will be given on cleanliness of train coaches at originating stations.