Auroville plans to launch electric toy train project during PM visit on March 1

A delegation of top officials from the Railway Board and Southern Railway visited Auroville to give shape to an electric-powered toy train project.

A press note said the team conducted an extensive site visit and planning session with Auroville representatives in a bid to formally launch the project coinciding with the expected visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Puducherry on March 1.

The officials discussed the launch logistics, laying a symbolic foundation stone at the designated site, showcasing a sculpture made from railway scrap to commemorate the partnership and digital display using 3D graphics and video prototypes to present the project’s vision during the official ceremony.

The collaborative venture for evolving sustainable and child-centric urban mobility aims to integrate Indian Railways’ world-class engineering with Auroville’s unique eco-urban vision, Auroville said.

Joining the discussions virtually, Jayanti S. Ravi, Secretary, Auroville Foundation and Additional Chief Secretary, Gujarat, emphasised the need to launch the project with a robust and well-defined framework.

She urged the team to focus on “concrete” details, ensuring that the project was not just a novelty but a sustainable fixture of Auroville’s educational landscape. She also sought focus on scaling the project to reflect international standards while staying true to the township’s spiritual ethos and the visionary Galaxy Plan.

The Railway Board directors, Aashima Mehrotra and Rajesh Kumar, highlighted that the train — intended for daily use by children — must follow the strict safety protocols of the National Rail Museum. They proposed a “time-tested” design that ensures zero-risk operation.

The team discussed how the battery-operated toy train aligns with the 1965 vision of a walkable city. Unlike traditional transport, this “e-rider” will navigate through curated green zones, replacing invasive species with native flowering trees, effectively creating a “city in a park” experience.

The participants, included G. Seetharaman, Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Auroville Foundation, Venugopal, senior consultant, Sindhuja J, Member, Auroville Town Development Council (ATDC) and Railway officials and engineers.