Railway minister Suresh Prabhu on Friday flagged off the 16-coach Science Express Climate Action Special train from Delhi’s Safdarjung station. The train is collaborative initiative between the Indian Railways and the department of science and technology. It is scheduled to cover 68 stations across 20 states in an effort to raise awareness on climate change and its effects.

“Unless we involve the common people in creating awareness about climate change, it will remain confined to seminars,” Minister of State for Environment Anil Dave said. The train is scheduled to end its journey on September 8 in Gandhinagar. “It is an innovative mobile science exhibition mounted on a 16-coach AC train, which has been custom-built for the department of science and technology by Indian Railways,” a statement said.

Launched in October 2007, the mobile exhibition has travelled across the country eight times and has exhibited at 455 locations, PTI reported. With six entries in the Limca Book of Records, the Science Express has become the largest, longest running and the most visited mobile science exhibition.