Karnataka - Bangalore   

Red Ribbon Express arrives on Monday

Bangalore: The Red Ribbon Express (RRE), a seven-coach train on a year-long journey across the country to spread HIV/AIDS awareness, will arrive in Karnataka at Bangarpet Railway Station, Kolar district, on July 21.

The RRE project, one of the largest advocacy campaigns, is a mission to “unite India against HIV/AIDS”. It was flagged off by the President of All India Congress Committee Sonia Gandhi at New Delhi on the occasion of World AIDS Day on December 1, 2007.

The train, running across the country, will cover 24 States. Halting at 180 places, it will cover a distance of 27,000 kilometres and return to New Delhi on November 28.

Giving details of the train’s journey in Karnataka, State Health Commissioner P.N. Srinivasachary told presspersons on Friday that the train, arriving from Jolarpettai in Tamil Nadu, will halt at 11 stations in Karnataka.

From Bangarpet, it will come to Bangalore Cantonment Station on July 24. Thereafter, the train will run through Mysore, Hassan, Arasikere, Birur, Shimoga Town, Hospet, Hubli, Dharwad and Belgaum, before heading for Madgaon in Goa on the night of August 14, Mr. Srinivasachary said.

“During its 25-day sojourn in the State, the train and activities around its visit are expected to reach out to around 2,40,24,237 people with HIV/AIDS awareness messages and information,” he said.

At every halt, cultural troupes will perform activities and jathas on the railway platforms. Rallies will be undertaken by volunteers from Nehru Yuva Kendra travelling in the train. At each stop, bus caravans with folk artistes from the Centre’s Song and Drama division will fan out to nearby villages creating HIV/AIDS awareness through skits and songs. Gram sabhas have been organised in villages to prepare for the awareness activities and host the artistes. Mobile exhibitions on HIV/AIDs awareness will also be organised, the Commissioner said.

In Karnataka, the State AIDS Prevention Society (KSAPS) has taken up a massive preparatory exercise to ensure that the train’s mission is fulfilled.

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