Libraries on wheels to run on Central Railway

Mumbai: The state government will be running a library in two prestigious trains of the Central Railway (CR). State education minister Vinod Tawde has proposed to begin the library on wheels in Deccan Queen Express and Panchavati Express from 15 October, the day which is being observed as Vaachan Prerna Diwas (Inspire to Read Day) in a memory of late former President of India Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s birth
anniversary.

Mr Tawde on Friday said that the initiative is being undertaken with the help of Railways. The library on wheels will be inaugurated in Deccan Queen Express (Pune-Mumbai-Pune), which departs from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) at 5.10 pm, and Panchavati Express (Manmad-Mumbai-Manmad), which departs from CSMT at 6.15 pm.

The monthly pass holders of the reserved coaches in both trains will be availed the books free of cost by Rajya Marathi Bhasha Sanstha of Marathi language depar-tment. A Vaachandoot (reading emissary) will help the passengers to get the books free of cost from the trolley, said CR officials.

A senior CR official said that the Vaacha-ndoot would take Aadhar card number and mobile number from the passenger who wants to read the book.  

According to the CR, a similar exercise was tried in Geetanjali Express (Mumbai-Hawada) in early 1980, but it had failed.