Union Tourism and Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy on September 18 announced a special tourist train to cover the “Ambedkar Circuit”.
Key points
- During the State Tourism Ministers at Dharamshala, he informed that various tourist circuits are being promoted and a new ‘Ambedkar Circuit’ shall soon be launched.
- The Himalayan Circuit will also be promoted under the action plan for development of tourist circuits, Sh G Kishan Reddy elaborated.
- The modalities — such as the date of journey, ticket price, number of passengers —are still in the works.
- The idea is to attract tourists beyond the Dalit community, who mostly visit these places as a pilgrimage.
- The journey will include meals, ground transportation, and entry to the sites.
- With a special AC train, the government is looking to trace the footsteps of Ambedkar in India by giving better connectivity to four of these spots.
About Ambedkar Circuit, or Panchteerth
The Government of India had first proposed the Ambedkar Circuit, or Panchteerth, in 2016. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said the Panchteerth would include:
- Janma Bhoomi, Ambedkar’s birthplace in Madhya Pradesh’s Mhow;
- Shiksha Bhoomi: The place in London where he stayed while studying in the UK;
- Deeksha Bhoomi in Nagpur where he embraced Buddhism;
- Mahaparinirvan Bhoomi or the place of his demise in Delhi; and
- Chaitya Bhoomi, the place of his cremation, in Mumbai.
