CHANDIGARH: The City Beautiful is all set to receive SAARC Car Rally reaching here Tuesday enroute to Wagah Border to enter Pakistan on Wednesday.

Continuing its onward journey after an overnight stopover in Chandigarh, the Car Rally will be flagged off by Gen S F Rodrigues, Governor Punjab & Administrator UT Chandigarh  for Wagah Border from Capitol Complex in the early hours on  28th March 2007, it is officially stated here Monday.

Initially flagged off at Cox Bazaar, Bangladesh, on 15th March 2007, the first ever SAARC Car Rally, within the SAARC region, is being organized by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Member States of SAARC along with the SAARC secretariat from 15th March till 14th April, 2007.  

The official sources said that the Car Rally was being held at the behest of Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, who, at the 13th SAARC Summit in Dhaka, in November 2005, announced that India would hold the first South Asian Car Rally which would be a run up to the next Summit to be held in New Delhi in April 2007.  The idea was welcomed by all SAARC countries.

An official spokesman said that  the Rally will reach Delhi on the 1st April 2007, where a ceremonial flag off would be accorded on 3rd April 2007 by the Heads of States/Government of all SAARC countries who will be gathered for the 14th SAARC Summit.

Symbolizing vividly regional identity and also drawing attention to the urgent need to improve the SAARC transport infrastructure, the Car Rally has participants from all SAARC countries traveling across Bangladesh, India, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Maldives.  A total of 30 vehicles with about 100 participants are participating in this unique event. The Rally would cover a distance of over 8200 kms, traversing across varying terrain, over a 31 days period.

With multiple objectives of reconnecting the countries of the subcontinent on the one hand, and also to reconnect the subcontinent to the larger Asian neighbourhood, on the other, as also improve regional transport, road infrastructure and connectivity, this non-competitive motoring expedition is a one step forward to promote Tourism, Economic and Business cooperation amongst the SAARC countries.

Coinciding with the Rally, key business events have also been planned. One such business event is being organised, on a sector specific subject, in each of the SAARC nations, through which the Rally is traversing. The topics for the Business Events are: Trade & Economic Cooperation, ICT, Energy, SME Cooperation, CEOs Roundtable, Tourism and Fish Processing.

Tata Motors are the vehicle sponsors for the event. They are providing Safaris to all the participants and organisers. The India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), Ministry of Commerce, Government of India is also supporting this unique initiative. Medical support is being provided by Apollo Hospitals. The technical and logistical support for the rally is being given by Autocar and the Automobile Association of Upper India.

All the SAARC Nations are supporting the rally by way of participation and hospitality in their respective countries. The States of West Bengal, Assam, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra are also involved in supporting the cause.