Commonwealth Games train to chug into Mumbai soon

While the Commonwealth Games (CWG) are scheduled to begin in the New Delhi next month, Mumbaikars will be introduced to the sporting event by way of a special exhibition.

The Commonwealth Games Express — the train which is the venue of this interactive exhibition — will chug into the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) on September 11 for a two-day stay.

Citizens can visit it between 10 am and 8 pm.

The train, which started from Delhi in June, is scheduled to make 48 halts over 101 days throughout the country. The exhibition has been organised by the Railway Sports Promotion Board and the ministry of communication and information technology.

“The coaches are modified with special panels to make the exhibition more interactive,” said Srinivas Mudgerikar, chief public relations officer of the central railway.

The first coach will give an overview of the CWG along with information on the number of participating nations; Shera, the Games’ mascot; the Queen’s baton relay; and the green initiatives taken this time.

The second will provide details on the venues where the Games are to be played and will also have a grand dummy of the stadia.

The schedule of each event will be displayed in the third. India’s triumphs in different sporting events like CWG 2006, Asian Games in Doha, and World Championships will be chronicled in the fourth.

“Railways have produced some of the greatest sporting talents,” added Mudgerikar. “A history of our sportsmen will be put up in the fifth.” The sixth to eleventh coaches will display the information technology story of India, by way of digital posters and films.