Ahmedabad, July 27: Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani today flagged off a new weekly train, "Parasnath Express", named after the famous Jain pilgrimage centre Parasnath, connecting the city and Dhanbad in Jharkhand. Emphasising that people's participation was important in helping Railways to serve them better, Advani said "it is important to have a spirit of nationalism within oneself and it has nothing to do with politics but with one's culture."
"It is the pilgrimage places which kept Indians united," he said at the function at Ahmedabad railway station.
Advani asked the people to treat the Railways and its facilities as their own which would help authorities to serve them better.
Commenting on fairly good rainfall in most parts of the country, especially in Kutch region of state, the Deputy Prime Minister said it is a "feel good factor" for the country.
Railway Minister Nitish Kumar and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi were also present at the function.
Though the inaugural train would run today, the regular trips of Parasnath Express would begin from Dhanbad on July 31 and from Ahmedabad on August five, railway sources said.
Apart from Parasnath, the train would also touch Gaya, another important pilgrim centre.
Bureau Report