NEW DELHI, Feb 4 (UNI) Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee would use the luxurious presidential saloon of the Indian Railways to visit Ayodhya on February 7 for dedicating to the nation a bridge over river Saryu.
The historical train, which consists of two bogies, would be used by an Indian Prime Minister after a gap of two decades.
Earlier, the presidential saloon was used by the then prime minister Indira Gandhi in February 1983 for travelling from Chandigarh to Delhi after attending a Congress meeting.
In this era when leaders often use much faster modes of communication like aircraft and helicopter, the train with the glorious past would be used by the prime minister for travelling from Katra to Ayodhya.
The 125-year-old coaches were used after a hiatus of about 26 years on May 30 last year for president A P J Abdul Kalam's 60 Km journey from Harnaut to Patna.
For his use, the coaches were renovated and provided with modern equipment such as satellite-based communication systems.
The presidential saloon was earlier meant for the exclusive use of the president but later vice president, prime minister and foreign visiting dignitaries were included in the list of users.
However, for using this exclusive train, formal approval of the president is required.
Historically, the predecessor of the presidential saloon was named Vice Regal Coach as the viceroys of British india used it in the late 19th and early 20th century.
Since trains were the only means of communications during those days, these coaches were used extensively.
To suit the taste and requirements of Viceroys, the luxury train was fitted with imported Persian carpets, a 'sinking sofa', exclusive cutlery sets and hot and cold running water facilities, which were a novelty at that time.
Khus mats and water were used as coolants for air conditioning.
After the capital was transferred from Calcutta to Delhi in 1912 by the then British Indian government, the train remained in Calcutta causing much inconvenience to the viceroy.
Ultimately it was shifted to Delhi in 1927.
First president of independent India Dr Rajendra Prasad was the first Indian who used this exclusive train in 1950.
He used the train for visiting his native place in Chhapra and from that time it was re-christened the presidential saloon.
Successive presidents Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, Dr Zakir Hussain and V V Giri travelled in these coaches during 1960s and 1970s.
In early eighties, some visiting dignitaries, including the president of Behrain, prime minister of Ghana and Swedish prime minister Olof Palme, travelled by the train.
Traditionally, the president, on the completion of his term, used the coaches for his outbound journey from New Delhi to his residence elsewhere in the country.
The last president to use the coaches in this way was Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy, in 1977.
After that, the coaches fell into disuse for reasons of security and convenience, although they were regularly maintained and inspected.
The coaches which had become more than 50 years old at the time of independence, were totally renovated at Matunga factory of Western Railways in 1956.
Only the basic construction remained same, every thing else was changed and its interior were spruced up.
The coaches now have a dining room that doubles as a visiting room, a lounge room or conference room, and the president's bedroom.
There is also a kitchen and chambers for the president's secretaries and staff as well as the railway staff who accompany him.
The coaches are luxuriously appointed with teak furniture and silk drapes and cushion covers.
The national emblem is engraved on all the furniture of the saloon.
An old radio set from England, a refrigerature made from the British company Glacier and old priceless crockery are signs of rich tradition while the satellite TV receiver indicates its continuity and link with the modern technology.
The Northern Railways spends about lakhs of rupees every year on its maintenance and it is sent to Matunga factory every year for proper over hauling.
Though the journey of the presidential saloon means a lot of hassels like fool proof security check including checking the tracks at all the places from where it would pass and rail traffic coming to a halt causing much inconvenience to the general public, it is a national heritage and pride of the country.
