The fifth phase of ‘Science Exhibition-Biodiversity Special’, a mobile exhibition train being run by the Ministry of Railways on requestof Ministry of Science and Technology, will arrive here on August 11. According to a release from the Southern Railway, the train will be in Chennai Central station for the exhibition from August 11 to August 15.

It would then reach Madurai on August 16 for a three day halt there. The train will be in Kanniyakumari from August 20 to 23. From Kanniyakumari the train will go to neighbouring Kerala state to reach Ernakulam Junction on August 24 and remain there for one day. The train will proceed to Kozhikode on August 25 for a four day halt.

‘Science Express-Biodiversity Special’ is an innovative and unique mobile exhibition train, mounted o­n 13 specially designed air-conditioned coaches and scheduled to travel from June 5 to December 22, 2012, to halt for exhibitions at 52 Railway Station across the country.

The current decade (2011-2020) has been declared as the United Nation’s Decade o­n Biodiversity and United Nations Decade for Deserts and Fight against Desertification. The exhibition aboard the train, therefore, is fittingly based o­n the theme ‘Biodiversity’. The exhibition aims to showcase the rich biodiversity in the country and the conservation measures adopted thereof. The exhibition also showcases aspects of Climate Change, Water, Energy Conservation, Environment and Legacy of the Science Express.

Additionally, the train also houses the extremely popular VASCSC Joy of Science hands-on lab as well as teachers’ training facility. Flagged off o­n October 30, 2007, by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and German Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel o­n its first phase, Science Express Exhibition Train so far has covered over 68,000 km across the country during its previous four phases. With over 63.60 lakh visitors during its 220 halts /exhibitions o­n 801 exhibition days, Science Express is now the largest, longest and most visited mobile science exhibition in India, the release added.