Science Express is an innovative mobile exhibition mounted on a specially designed 16 coach AC train, traveling across India since October 2007. After the successful tour across India in four phases, this iconic train is running since 2012 as 'Science Express - Biodiversity Special (SEBS)' - a unique collaborative initiative of Department of Science & Technology and Ministry of Environment & Forests. The SEBS 2013 edition is scheduled to be flagged-off from Delhi Safdarjung on 9 April 2013 and during its journey till 28 October 2013, it will travel to 62 locations across India. At each location, it will halt for 3-4 days during which the exhibition remains open for visitors.
Since its launch in October 2007, the Science Express exhibition train has traveled over 86,000 km across the country. With over 87 lakh visitors at its 270 halts and 1000 exhibition days till date, Science Express is the largest, longest and most visited mobile science exhibition in India and has created several records.
The current decade (2011-2020) has been declared as the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity and United Nations Decade for Deserts and Fight against Desertification. The 'Science Express - Biodiversity Special', therefore, primarily addresses the theme 'biodiversity'. India hosted the COP 11 to CBD during 2012 in Hyderabad and SEBS 2012, as the brand ambassador of COP 11, successfully showcased to the world the wide array of biodiversity in India and the conservation measures adopted thereof.
The state-of-the-art exhibition aboard the SEBS aims to create awareness on biodiversity of India, climate change and similar issues among various sections of the society, especially the students. The exhibition, thus, targets a wide range of audience including school and college students as well as teachers.
Of the 16 coaches of the SEBS, eight supported by MoEF, are solely dedicated to showcasing the myriad biodiversity spread across the bio-geographical zones of India. These include Trans-Himalaya & the Himalayas, theGangetic Plain, North East India, the Desert & Semi-Arid Zone, the Western Ghats, the Deccan Peninsula, the Coasts & Islands. The exhibition also covers various other facets like marine, coastal, forest, microbial, agro biodiversity and their linkage with livelihoods besides challenges of conservation.
In rest of the rake, one coach has an exhibition on Climate Change, Biodiversity & Water, supported by HSBC. Exhibition on Green Technologies supported by UL India and exhibits on Climate Change supported by Swiss Embassy are put up in another coach. Yet another coach presents an exhibition on Energy Conservation, supported by PCRA. In one coach, a Kids Zone has been created for kids to indulge in fun-filled activities, games and puzzles in science, mathematics and environment.
Further, the popular VASCSC Joy of Science (JOS) lab, supported by Indus Towers, is put up in a dedicated coach. In this hands-on lab, students can perform various experiments and activities to understand concepts in environment, science and mathematics in an interesting manner. A Discussion centre-cum-training facility is provided in a coach for orientation of teachers.
At each halt of SEBS, activities are planned in advance to engage visitors across different ages to reinforce the message of SEBS and these include the exciting and much sought-after Outreach Programme conducted in local schools / institutions along with interesting activities on the railway platforms. Institutions and local schools associated with the MoEF's National Environment Awareness Programme (NEAC) and National Green Corps (NGC) also help in reaching out. In addition, informative take-away material is made available for wider distribution amongst schools and visitors.
The exhibition reflects the wisdom and the hard-work of the knowledge partners who have contributed to bring forth this exhibition. MoEF has partnered with the DST for putting up the exhibition on biodiversity. Centre for Environment Education (CEE), Ahmedabad along with the knowledge partners and Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Centre (VASCSC), Ahmedabad have developed and put up this unique exhibition-on-wheels. HSBC, UL India and Indus Towers have supported part of the exhibitions and complementary activities.
VASCSC has been entrusted by DST with the task of coordinating the SEBS across India. VASCSC’s team of well-qualified, trained and highly motivated Science Communicators travelling with the train explain and interpret the exhibition, answers queries, facilitate the visitors and conduct complementary activities.
Science Express Biodiversity Special - 2013
Schedule
Sr. No.
|
Station
|
Exhibition Dates
|
Sr. No.
|
Station
|
Exhibition Dates
|
1
|
DelhiSafdarjung (Flag off)
|
9 April 2013
|
32
|
Raigada
|
12 - 14 July 2013
|
2
|
Pragati Maidan
|
10 - 13 April 2013
|
33
|
Vishakhapatanam
|
15 - 18 July 2013
|
3
|
Patiala
|
14 - 16 April 2013
|
34
|
Kakinada
|
19 - 21 July 2013
|
4
|
Jalandhar City
|
17 - 20 April 2013
|
35
|
Tirupati
|
23 - 26 July 2013
|
5
|
Verka
|
21 - 24 April 2013
|
36
|
Chennai Central
|
27 - 30 July 2013
|
6
|
Pathankot
|
25 - 27 April 2013
|
37
|
Cuddalore Port Jn.
|
31 July-3 Aug 2013
|
7
|
Bajalta
|
28 April-1 May 2013
|
38
|
Tiruchirapally
|
4 - 7 Aug 2013
|
8
|
Amb Anduara
|
3 - 4 May 2013
|
39
|
Kudalnagar
|
8 - 11 Aug 2013
|
9
|
Ambala Cantt.
|
5 - 7 May 2013
|
40
|
Trivandrum
|
12 - 14 Aug 2013
|
10
|
Haridwar
|
8 - 10 May 2013
|
41
|
Alappuzha
|
16- 19 Aug 2013
|
11
|
Bareilly
|
11 -13 May 2013
|
42
|
Coimbatore
|
20 - 23 Aug 2013
|
12
|
Azamgarh
|
15 - 16 May 2013
|
43
|
Kozikhode
|
24 - 27 Aug 2013
|
13
|
Mughal Sarai
|
17 - 20 May 2013
|
44
|
Kannur
|
28 - 31 Aug 2013
|
14
|
Bhagalpur
|
21 - 24 May 2013
|
45
|
Madgaon
|
2 - 5 Sep 2013
|
15
|
Katihar
|
25 May 2013
|
46
|
Miraj
|
6 - 9 Sep 2013
|
16
|
Purnea
|
26 May 2013
|
47
|
Maltekdi
|
11 - 14 Sep 2013
|
17
|
Bagdogra
|
27 May 2013
|
48
|
Aurangabad
|
15 - 18 Sep 2013
|
18
|
Alipurduar Jn.
|
28 - 30 May 2013
|
49
|
Valsad
|
19 - 21 Sep 2013
|
19
|
Lumding
|
31 May-2 June 2013
|
50
|
Navsari
|
22 - 25 Sep 2013
|
20
|
New Tinsukia
|
3 - 6 June 2013
|
51
|
Vadodara
|
26 - 28 Sep 2013
|
21
|
Dimapur
|
7 - 8 June 2013
|
52
|
Ujjain
|
29 Sep-1 Oct 2013
|
22
|
NewBongaigaon
|
9 - 12 June 2013
|
53
|
Kota
|
3 - 6 Oct 2013
|
23
|
NewCoochbehar
|
13 - 15 June 2013
|
54
|
Daurai (Nr. Ajmer)
|
7 - 9 Oct 2013
|
24
|
New Farakka
|
16 - 18 June 2013
|
55
|
Marwar
|
10 - 12 Oct 2013
|
25
|
Raniganj
|
19 - 21 June 2013
|
56
|
Abu Road
|
14 - 16 Oct 2013
|
26
|
JoichandiPahar
|
22 - 24 June 2013
|
57
|
Linch (Nr.Mehsana)
|
17 Oct 2013
|
27
|
Sini
|
25 - 27 June 2013
|
58
|
Bhaktinagar(Rajkot)
|
18 - 19 Oct 2013
|
28
|
Kharagpur
|
28 June-1 July 2013
|
59
|
Junagadh
|
20 - 22 Oct 2013
|
29
|
Balasore
|
2 - 4 July 2013
|
60
|
Bhavnagar
|
23 - 25 Oct 2013
|
30
|
Cuttack
|
5 - 8 July 2013
|
61
|
Adraj Moti (Nr.G’nagar)
|
26 - 27 Oct 2013
|
31
|
Balangir
|
9 - 11 July 2013
|
62
|
GandhinagarCapital
|
28 Oct 2013
|
(PIB Features.)
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