Ahmedabad, June 21 (IANS) The Ahmedabad Division of Western Railway marked the 12th International Yoga Day on Sunday with a unique initiative that, according to officials, brought yoga practice to passengers onboard moving Vande Bharat Express trains for the first time.

Under the supervision of Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Ved Prakash, the division organised yoga sessions across key railway locations and extended the programme to four Vande Bharat Express services, where passengers were guided to perform simple exercises while the trains were in motion.

The DRM said the division undertook a series of initiatives to mark the occasion.

“First, we made efforts to connect all our employees and their family members with yoga. Through video conferencing, a large number of participants joined the yoga programme across various railway establishments and centres,” he said.

He further stated that the second initiative involved engaging passengers travelling on modern trains.

“In Vande Bharat trains, yoga instructions were broadcast through the onboard audio system, and volunteers in each coach assisted passengers in performing micro yoga while seated,” he said.

Passengers carried out light exercises for 10 to 20 minutes, including neck, shoulder, wrist and arm rotations, along with chanting of ‘Om’ and brief meditation practices.

Officials said the sessions were designed to make yoga accessible within the constraints of train travel, enabling passengers to participate without leaving their seats.

The main yoga programme was held at the Community Hall in Sabarmati, where yoga instructors Alpesh Trivedi and Hansha Chaag conducted training for railway officers, employees, Railway Protection Force personnel, Scouts and Guides, and members of the Civil Defence organisation.

The session followed the Common Yoga Protocol, covering asanas, pranayama and meditation techniques.

In addition to Sabarmati, yoga sessions were also organised at the Old Railway Institute in Sabarmati, the Railway Institute in Kankaria, and community halls in Gandhidham and Viramgam.

The onboard yoga initiative was conducted on four Vande Bharat Express services: Gandhinagar Capital-Mumbai Central, Sabarmati-Jodhpur, Asarva-Udaipur, and Ahmedabad-Okha.

The division noted that similar yoga programmes have been organised in the past at major stations including Ahmedabad, Mehsana, Palanpur and Gandhidham, with participation from both staff and passengers.

This year’s International Yoga Day theme, “Yoga for Healthy Ageing”, was observed across the division with activities aimed at promoting wellness and regular practice of yoga among railway employees and the travelling public.

Western Railway also appealed to staff and passengers to incorporate yoga into their daily routine for improved physical and mental well-being.

–IANS

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