New Delhi, Feb 21 Want to remain fit and also save some bucks in the process? Well, the Railways has come up with a novel way to promote the 'Fit India' movement by installing squat machines at the Anand Vihar railway station here to dispense free platform tickets to people who do 30 squats in three minutes.
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal took to Twitter and wrote: "Savings along with fitness. To encourage fitness, a unique experiment has been on at Delhi's Anand Vihar railway station. Platform tickets can be had for free after exercising on the squat machine installed here."
He also posted a video clip wherein a young man is doing squats on the machine.
Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju responded and said: "What a unique step by Railway Minister Piyush Goyalji. Fitness for free and saving money too! Exercise in front of this machine at Anand Vihar railway station in Delhi and get a free platform ticket. Let's make Narendra Modiji's initiated FitIndiaMovement a people's movement."
Modi had started the 'Fit India' movement at the Indira Gandhi Stadium here on August 29, 2019 to encourage people to remain healthy and fit by including physical activities and sports in their daily routines.
On Tuesday, the Railways launched several amenities at the Anand Vihar station, including 'Dava Dost', a generic medicine shop offering up to 80 per cent discount on medicines, a massage kiosk and pulse health kiosk to measure health and wellness parameters like body composition analysis and blood pressure.
The Railways also inaugurated 'The New Shop', an innovative retail technology start-up in India recognised by the Department of Promotion for Industry and Internal Trade.
According to the Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation Limited, The New Shop sources unique and authentic consumer products from Indian start-ups and MSMEs around the country and sells them through its stores.
The company uses Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to understand and predict consumer behaviour and also provides real-time tracking of sales.
A waiting lounge has also been inaugurated at the Anand Vihar railway station.
( With inputs from IANS )