Road construction department secretary Prataya Amrit flags off the rally in Patna on Sunday. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Patna, April 17: A car rally organised by Lions Club of Patna Favourite saw 30 participants taking an approximately 120km ride from Patna to Rajgir.

Bringing chief minister Nitish Kumar’s development mantra to the fore, the participants rode through the interiors, showing the safety aspect of the state.

Usha Jha, the president of the club, said the rally has been organised regularly for the past three years with the aim of raising funds for the weaker sections of the society.

Karuna Lal, the treasurer of the club, told The Telegraph that the development aspect of the state was always on the fore.

“The route of the rally is a straight one. The participants have to cross through interior areas thus showcasing that the state has become a safer place for the people. Also, people in areas from where the cars will pass through will be witnessing the rally and it will give confidence to them,” the official said.

The rally was flagged off in the early morning hours from near the Gandhi Maidan by road construction secretary Prataya Amrit.

“This is being organised by the club for the past three years since the club came into existence. The club comes under the Lions Club Internationals District C22E. Last year there were around 39 contestants. Though most of the participants are from Patna, some have come from Mumbai as well. There are two categories, one consisting of an all-women team and the other, the general category,” Lal said.

“The funds raised from this event will be spent on the underprivileged children,” Lal said.

“The theme of the rally is Bihar on the road to development. There are many developments taking place in the state at the moment. The state has become considerably safe for the people. And we want to portray the same through this event,” the official added.

“The state is considered as one among the most backward states in the country. We want to change this perception. Those are now things of the past and Bihar is moving towards a developed and corruption-free state. One can see there are so many women participants in the rally. This shows fear is a thing of the past and women can now move freely anywhere,” another official at the club said.

The prizes for both the categories will be presented on Tuesday.