Lucknow: The hi-tech customised rath of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today broke down after barely covering a kilometre, forcing him to switch to his official vehicle to continue his state-wide tour.

After leaving the La-Martinere College grounds and hitting Lohia Path at a stone’s throw distance from the venue, the blazing red 10-wheel Mercedes ‘rath’ developed some technical snag following which Akhilesh shifted to his official SUV.

The CM waited anxiously for the repair work to be over, but as it took time, he decided to go ahead in his official SUV.

The yatra was earlier in the day flagged off by SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Re-designed keeping in mind security and other requirements of the CM, the Mercedes bus has world class interiors and is equipped with top-of-the-line gadgets and amenities.

It has bullet proof glasses and is divided into two sectors — office and beyond. The office area is like a mini-chief minister’s office wherein the CM can hold a meeting with around 5-6 persons.

The other area comprises a kitchen, reclining area and plush washroom.

It has modern acoustic system and an elevator which would take the CM to the roof to interact with a larger audience.

It has a network-enabled Internet facility with 4G speed to keep the twitter-savvy CM always connected. He can also make video calls from the rath, which was customised at a cost of Rs 5 crore. The party has not disclosed the cost officially.

The royal vehicle is fitted with LED screens to play creatives (videos, photos, photo videos) showcasing the achievements of the Akhilesh Yadav government.

PTI