Done/ALVI With pics Faiz.Siddiqui@timesgroup.com Kanpur: The Presidential train, carrying President Ram Nath Kovind and his wife Savita Kovind, the first lady of the country, started from Delhi’s Safdarjung railway station at around 1.30 pm.
After running for almost three-and-a-half hours, it reached Etawah railway station at 5 pm, Jhinjhak railway station in Kanpur Dehat at 6 pm, and after a halt of over 15 minutes, it headed for Rura station.
The President received a grand welcome at these stations.
Earlier, on reaching Jhinjhak railway station, the President said, “I was planning to visit my native place in 2019, and now I am finally here.
I don’t have words to express my feelings after finding myself amongst you.
I express my gratitude for the kindness with which you have received us.” President Kovind interacted with his old acquaintances from his school days and from early days of his social service at the Jhinjhak and Rura railway stations.
On reaching Rura, he said, “I reached the august office of the President of the country due to the blessings of the people of my place of birth”.
Both Jhinjhak and Rura railway stations are close to village Paraunkh in Kanpur Dehat which is Kovind’s birthplace.
The two functions to felicitate him are scheduled on June 27.
There were tight security arrangements in and around both the railway stations.
This is the first time that the President is visiting his birthplace after assuming office.