In Pics: Modi Express-From Melbourne to Sydney

Sydney: In appreciation of Narendra Modi's humble beginnings, over 200 fans of the Indian Prime Minister has traveled 870 km by a special train dubbed "Modi Express" from Melbourne to Sydney for a diaspora event .Carrying 220 Modi fans, the four-carriage train decorated with tricolour balloons departed from Melbourne's Southern Cross station for Sydney at 8.30 p.m. Nov 16, spokesperson Balesh Singh Dhankhar of the Indian Australian Community Foundation (IACF) told IANS over phone from Sydney.The Modi fans have plans to savour Gujarati cuisine during their journey, Ashwin Bora of the IACF told IANS.Some fans told IANS that the train journey will hold a unique place in their memory."Since Modiji has travelled a lot by trains as a grassroots BJP worker, we came up with this idea," said Modi fan Sanjeev Bhakri."We have plans to put up Modiji's banners and enjoy Gujarati food during our journey," said another Modi fan, Vijeth Shetty.Dhankhar said people were "enthusiastic about watching the charismatic Modi live in front of thousands of people who will congregate at Sydney's Allphones Arena Nov 17".He said that while planning Modi's Australian tour, it was believed that the Brisbane visit for the G20 summit, the parliament address in Canberra, and Prime Minister Tony Abbott's banquet at the Melbourne Cricket Ground would be enough."It was only after learning about such a huge interest from Indians in Sydney that the Indian Prime Minister's Office realised how much significance the Sydney visit could hold for the Indian diaspora," the spokesman said.In Sydney, the organisers also have plans to highlight a new historical, archaeological and linguistic evidence indicating human migration from the Indian subcontinent to Australia around 5,000 years ago."It will show how the link between India and Australia has been much older and deeper than many people believe," he added.Event organisers in Sydney said more than 21,000 people have registered through their local community organisations to attend the event, which can accommodate only 16,000.Another 20,000 people are expected to register Monday onwards when organisers open a number of seats for allocation by lottery.Victorian Multicultural Minister Matthew Guy flagged off the train at Southern Cross station - the major railway station and transport hub for Melbourne - amid huge fanfare of Modi who is the first Indian premier to visit the country in the last 28 years. The passengers from several communities including Punjabi, Muslims, Gujarati and Kashmiris boarded the train of four bogies at 8 PM local time today. The passengers danced and sang patriotic songs before boarding the train, creating a huge festive atmosphere at the station.The minister, who flagged off the train with an Indian flag, said the visit of Modi holds a huge significance for the Indian diaspora living in the Australia and also for the Indo-Australian relationship.For the first time in the history of Melbourne, a train service was organised under the name of a Prime Minister. A couple, in their 60s, Dr Bhupender Singh and Gunni from Punjab who flew from Adelaide, said it was a huge moment for for Indians living in Australia and there was a sense of excitement among the diaspora with Modi's visit.The passengers will be served with delicacies like 'Modi Dhokla' and 'Modi Fafda' by the organisers for free of cost.Meanwhile, hundreds of Indians living in Victoria came to see off the train and be a part of the historic moment.Gurbir Singh, a Melbourne resident also expressed his excitement. "Modi has given us a hope for the growth and a good future ahead," said Gurbir.Organised by the Overseas Friends of BJP here, the service has been named as "Modi Express" to honour their leader and celebrate his first official visit as prime minister to Australia."This Modi Express will be a hell of a party time for all of the passengers," according to Ashwin Bora, spokesperson for OFBJP's Melbourne Chapter.People from several communities even locals here have booked their seats on this train, he said.With the support of rail authorities here, the train was specially decorated with tri-colour balloons, Modi's posters and banners and pictures of iconic places of India.