Prime Minister Modi flags off nine Vande Bharat trains

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off nine Vande Bharat trains on 24 September 2023 through video conferencing.

These new Vande Bharat trains are a step towards realizing the Prime Minister's vision of improving connectivity across the country and providing world-class facilities to rail passengers.

Which new trains were flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi?

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

Vande Bharat trains will provide modern connectivity in the country:

• On this occasion, the Prime Minister in his address described the flagging off of nine Vande Bharat trains as an unprecedented opportunity for modern connectivity in the country.
• This pace and scale of infrastructure development in the country exactly matches the aspirations of 140 crore Indians.

Now a total of 34 Vande Bharat trains are serving the country:

• With 9 more new Vande Bharat trains inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi, the total number of Vande Bharat trains in operation in the country has now reached 34. Because 25 Vande Bharat trains are already in service to the people in various states and union territories.

What will be the benefits of Vande Bharat trains?

• The operation of Vande Bharat trains is beneficial to those who want to save time. This train will be very beneficial to those traveling in a single day.
• There will be an increase in tourism and economic activities at the places connected by Vande Bharat trains.
• The operation of these trains will strengthen the infrastructure in the country which will boost investment within the country.

Work being done for the development of Indian Railways:

• The Prime Minister said in his address that this year's budget for Railways is eight times more than the Railway Budget of 2014. Similarly, work is going on doubling, electrification and new routes.
• For the first time in India, a campaign for development and modernization of railway stations has been started.
• A record number of foot over bridges, lifts and escalators are being constructed in the country for the convenience of railway passengers.
• Just a few days ago, the work of redevelopment of more than 500 major stations of the country was started.
• These new stations built during the Amrit period will be called Amrit Bharat stations. In the coming times, these stations will become the identity of the new India.
• As the Railways has started celebrating the 'Foundation Day' of the establishment of the railway station, the Prime Minister mentioned celebrations in Coimbatore, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and Mumbai. Coimbatore Railway Station has completed 150 years.
• He said, “Now this tradition of celebrating the birthday of railway stations will be further expanded and more and more people will be included in it.
• To achieve the goal of developing India by the year 2047, development of every state and people of every state is necessary. Indian Railways is playing an important role in this path.

Important facts related to Vande Bharat trains:

• These nine trains launched by the Prime Minister will boost connectivity in 11 states – Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, West Bengal, Kerala, Odisha, Jharkhand and Gujarat.
• These Vande Bharat trains will run at the fastest speed on their operational routes and will save a lot of time for passengers.
• These will travel in relatively less time compared to the existing fastest trains on the route.
• In line with Prime Minister Modi's vision of improving the connectivity of important religious places in the country, it will provide connectivity to the pilgrimage centres.
• The introduction of these Vande Bharat trains will mark the beginning of a new standard of rail service in the country. Equipped with world-class amenities and advanced safety features including armor technology, these trains will be an important step towards providing modern, quick and comfortable means of travel to the common people, professionals, businessmen, students and tourists.