The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Red Ribbon Express chugs along into Chennai

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Monday, Jun 02, 2008
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Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Red Ribbon Express chugs along into Chennai

Special Correspondent

Mayor M. Subramanian and other officials visit the exhibition at Egmore railway station

Train features panels and props on HIV/AIDS, counselling clinics and touch-screen terminals
In Tamil Nadu, the train will cover 1,344 km, halting at 18 stations

— Photo: S. S. Kumar

RAIL MISSION: Chennai Mayor M. Subramanian hearing a recorded message from a telephone at the exhibition in the Red Ribbon Express at Egmore railway station on Sunday. Corporation Commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni, Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society Project Director Supriya Sahu and Chennai Collector Kakarla Usha are in the picture.

CHENNAI: The Red Ribbon Express, the country’s AIDS awareness roadshow on rails, made a grand entry into Chennai on Sunday.

The seven-coach train that has halted at Egmore features panels and props on HIV/AIDS, counselling clinics and touch-screen terminals.

A Tamil voiceover detailing aspects of HIV/AIDS is also used to educate visitors.

The express, which was flagged off in New Delhi on the World AIDS Day on December 1, 2007, will traverse an estimated 9,000 km and halt at 180 stations during a yearlong run across the nation.

Billed as the world’s largest mass mobilisation drive, the Red Ribbon Express is primarily targeting rural women and youth.

Chennai Mayor M. Subramanian, accompanied by officials, visited the exhibition.

Health Secretary V. K. Subburaj, TANSACS project director Supriya Sahu, Corporation Commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni, Chennai Collector Kakarla Usha and APAC project director Bimal Charles were present.

Addressing a public function, Mr. Subramanian pointed out that the Chennai Corporation won the ‘World Leadership Award’ last year for its programmes to promote life skills and HIV prevention education among adolescents in its schools. The award was given on the basis of a survey of 40 cities organised by the World Leadership Forum, a London-based NGO.

Representatives of sexual minorities and the Tamil Nadu Network of Positive People (TNP+) shared their thoughts on living with the disease.

The Mayor later initiated a signature campaign as part of the fight against HIV/AIDS.

A cultural show that included folk forms “Poikaalkuthirai” and “Villupattu” was also organised.

In Tamil Nadu, the train will cover 1,344 km, halting at 18 stations. The Red Ribbon Express entered the State’s rail network at Katpadi on May 27 to a rousing reception. At Katpadi, it attracted 4,900 visitors, mainly college students and self-help group members.

A similar reception was accorded at Arakkonam, where 2,700 people visited the train.

For a train with such an extended run, the Red Ribbon Express has been surprisingly keeping time.

Its objectives include disseminating information on prevention, creating awareness of the disease, reducing stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS and strengthening people’s knowledge of prevention.

Caravans of artists

Besides on-platform campaigns at each station, the train is accompanied by satellite cycle caravans of performing artists who will fan out to the interiors to spread the message.

The Red Ribbon Express was conceptualised by the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and taken out by the National AIDS Control Organisation and the Nehru Yuvak Kendra Sangathan, with the support of a host of government departments.

The train leaves for Chengalpattu on Monday night.

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