E-Paper
PM flags off 5 Vande Bharat trains to boost connectivity
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched five Vande Bharat trains to improve connectivity across six states in the country. The semi-high speed trains will run in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa, Bihar and Jharkhand. Two of the trains are for Madhya Pradesh, where assembly elections are scheduled later this year. The launch was attended by railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, governor Mangubhai Patel and Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday flagged off five Vande Bharat trains to “improve connectivity” in important cities in six states across the country.
The Prime Minister flagged off the five semi-high speed trains for Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa, Bihar and Jharkhand – two physically and three in virtual mode – from Rani Kamlapati railway station in Bhopal.
The ceremony was attended by railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, governor Mangubhai Patel and Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Jyotiraditya Scindia, among others.
“These trains will improve connectivity in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa, Bihar and Jharkhand,” the Prime Minister had tweeted on Monday.
It was for the first time on Tuesday that so many Vande Bharat trains were launched in a day. Two of them are for Madhya Pradesh, where assembly elections are slated to be held later this year.
On Tuesday, while addressing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers after the ceremony, Modi said: “...I had the opportunity to inaugurate five Vande Bharat trains that will connect six states of India. I congratulate the people of Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Goa, Bihar, Karnataka and Maharashtra. I want to congratulate Madhya Pradesh specially because my brothers and sisters got two trains in one go.”
He added: “So far, commuters from Bhopal to Delhi had the pleasure to travel on these trains. But now, people can travel from Bhopal to Indore and Bhopal to Jabalpur and experience speed and modernity.”
The semi high-speed trains inaugurated are Rani Kamalapati (Bhopal)-Jabalpur Vande Bharat Express, Khajuraho-Bhopal-Indore Vande Bharat Express, Madgaon (Goa)-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express, Dharwad-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express, and Hatia-Patna Vande Bharat Express, according to an official statement.
The Rani Kamlapati-Jabalpur Vande Bharat Express will connect Mahakaushal region (Jabalpur) to the central region (Bhopal) of Madhya Pradesh.
The Khajuraho-Bhopal-Indore Vande Bharat Express will improve connectivity of Malwa region (Indore) and Bundelkhand region (Khajuraho) to central region (Bhopal), the statement said.
The Madgaon (Goa)-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express is Goa’s first Vande Bharat Express.
It will run between Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Goa’s Madgaon station.
The Dharwad-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express will connect important cities in Karnataka – Dharwad, Hubballi and Davangere – with the state capital Bengaluru.
The Hatia-Patna Vande Bharat Express is the first Vande Bharat train for Jharkhand and Bihar. Enhancing connectivity between Patna and Ranchi, the train will be a boon for tourists, students and businessmen, the statement said.
(With agency inputs)
