Moving ahead with the vision of improving connectivity across the country and providing world class facilities to rail passengers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off nine Vande Bharat trains today (September 24).
The new trains that were flagged off are:
1) Udaipur – Jaipur Vande Bharat Express
2) Tirunelveli – Madurai – Chennai Vande Bharat Express
3) Hyderabad –Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express
4) Vijayawada – Chennai (via Renigunta) Vande Bharat Express
5) Patna – Howrah Vande Bharat Express
6) Kasaragod –Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express
7) Rourkela – Bhubaneswar – Puri Vande Bharat Express
8) Ranchi – Howrah Vande Bharat Express
9) Jamnagar – Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Express
The Prime Minister said that the trains launched today are enhanced with modernity and comfort. He expressed his satisfaction with the increasing popularity of Vande Bharat, citing that over 11 million passengers have already journeyed on these trains.
The Prime Minister shared that currently, 25 Vande Bharat trains are operational across various states and union territories, and today, an additional 9 Vande Bharat trains are being introduced. He expressed optimism that it won’t be long before Vande Bharat trains establish connectivity to every corner of the nation. Furthermore, he emphasized the boost in tourism and economic activities in areas served by Vande Bharat trains.
The Prime Minister emphasized that “an India on the path of being developed will now have to modernize its railway stations as well”. With this vision in mind, PM Modi noted that India has launched its first-ever campaign aimed at enhancing and modernizing railway stations.
PM Modi said that today, the country is witnessing a historic surge in the construction of foot over bridges, lifts, and escalators, all designed to enhance the convenience of railway passengers. Notably, just a few days ago, the comprehensive redevelopment initiative for over 500 major stations across the country was initiated. These newly revamped stations, developed during the Amrit Kaal period, will be christened as “Amrit Bharat Stations”, as announced by the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister highlighted the noticeable improvements in the cleanliness standards of the railways, urging all citizens to participate in the upcoming cleanliness campaign at 10 am on October 1st as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. He also encouraged everyone to reaffirm their commitment to supporting khadi and indigenous products and promote the “vocal for local” initiative from October 2nd to October 31st, coinciding with Sardar Patel’s Jayanti.
Concluding his remarks, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that the transformations occurring within Indian Railways and society as a whole will prove to be significant steps towards advancing India’s development.