Red Ribbon Express to chug into Madurai on June 17

Madurai, June 14 (UNI) The Red Ribbon Express, which is on a mission to spread awareness about HIV/AIDS, will arrive here on June 17.

Railway sources said here today that arrangements had been made for stationing the Express for two days on the third platform at Madurai railway junction.

The seven-coach Express began its campaign in Katpadi on May 27.

It would end its first campaign on July 26 by traversing through Arakkonam, Chennai, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Puducherry, Virudhachalam, Tiruchirapalli, Karur, Dindigul, Madurai, Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, Nagercoil and Kanniyakumari.

The second stage of the campaign would start on August 12 in Coimbatore and pass through Erode and Salem, before halting at Jolarpet on August 18.

The campaign is organised by the National AIDS Control Organisation, Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan and State AIDS Control Society to spread awareness on AIDS and promote behavioural changes and safe practices, besides fighting against the stigma and discrimination.

United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi had flagged off the Express in New Delhi on December one, 2007.

The Express would travel 9,000 km in 24 States across the nation and halt at 180 important cities, before reaching Delhi on December one, 2008, the sources added.

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