Marking the International Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Hyderabad, a special Science Express train would be arriving at Secunderabad Railway Station on October 9.

The train, Science Express – Biodiversity Special (SEBS), is being jointly run by the Department of Science and Technology and Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. Flagged off on June 5, 2012, on the World Environment Day from Delhi Safdarjung, the train had already registered 12 lakh visitors as it chugs along the length and breadth of the country.

“It has covered 25 stations so far. In all, it would touch 52 stations. It would arrive in Hyderabad on October 9, marking the prestigious global convention, M.F. Farooqui, Special Secretary in the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, said on the sidelines of the convention.

The train would help showcase India’s rich biodiversity to thousands of school children and also to hundreds of delegates to the convention from over 180 countries.

The 16-coach train would give a bird’s eye view of bio-geographical zones of India, including trans-Himalaya, the Himalayas, the Gangetic plain, the North-east and Coastal areas.

It would also cover myriad facets of marine, forest, microbial, agro biodiversity and their linkage with livelihoods, besides challenges of conservation.

2012, The Hindu Business Line