Modi launches 6 Vande Bharat trains; which cities they'll connect
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday virtually flagged off six new Vande Bharat trains from Tatanagar in Jharkhand. The new additions will enhance connectivity on various routes including Tatanagar-Patna, Bhagalpur-Dumka-Howrah, Brahmapur-Tatanagar, Gaya-Howrah, Deoghar-Varanasi, and Rourkela-Howrah. These trains are expected to benefit regular travelers as well as boost religious tourism by providing faster commute to pilgrimage sites like Baidyanath Dham in Deoghar (Jharkhand), Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), Kalighat, Belur Math in Kolkata (West Bengal) etc.
New trains to boost local industries and tourism
The introduction of these new Vande Bharat Express trains is also expected to stimulate local industries, such as coal mining in Dhanbad, jute production in Kolkata, and iron and steel-related businesses in Durgapur. According to the Railways, there are currently 54 Vande Bharat trains across the country. "They have completed a total of around 36,000 trips and carried over 3.17 crore passengers," the Railway said.
Vande Bharat Express: A 'Make in India' success
The Vande Bharat Express, India's first indigenously designed and manufactured semi-high-speed train, is a flagship project of the "Make in India" campaign. The train is capable of reaching speeds up to 160km/h. "With the Vande Bharat Express train services, Indian Railways is on a path to revolutionize travel in India. These trains not only reflect the success of the 'Make in India' initiative but also set new global standards for speed, safety, and service," the Railway Ministry said.
PM Modi distributes sanction letters under PMAY-G
In addition to launching the trains, PM Modi inaugurated various railway projects worth over ₹660 crore. PM Modi highlighted the significant increase in budget allocation for railway development in Jharkhand, stating that it is now 16 times more than what it was a decade ago. "The whole region will develop with the expansion of rail services in Eastern India... The budget for railway development for Jharkhand is ₹7000 crore," he said.
