PM Modi flags off 9 new Vande Bharat trains, says focus on ‘ease of travel’

PM Modi flagged off nine Vande Bharat Express trains, connecting religious and tourist destinations with semi-high-speed trains in 11 states.

Published on: Sep 24, 2023, 12:54:25 IST

By HT News Desk

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday flagged off nine new Vande Bharat Express trains via video conferencing, taking the total number of semi-high-speed trains to 34. The prime minister said the Vande Bharat Express trains being launched today will significantly improve connectivity as well as boost tourism across India. He said the government is focussing on multi-modal connectivity and ease of travel to ensure that time in commuting is minimised.

“This infrastructural development has matched aspirations of 140 crore Indians and this is what the country wants now,” the prime minister said.

The nine trains will provide faster connectivity across 11 states -- Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, West Bengal, Kerala, Odisha, Jharkhand and Gujarat.

"In the last 9 years, PM Modi has extraordinarily transformed the Railway system. Today the railway stations cleaner, with newer facilities,” Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said at the flagging-off ceremony.

The new trains that were flagged off by Prime Minister Modi are Udaipur – Jaipur Vande Bharat Express, Tirunelveli-Madurai- Chennai Vande Bharat Express, Hyderabad –Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express, Vijayawada – Chennai (via Renigunta) Vande Bharat Express, Patna – Howrah Vande Bharat Express, Kasaragod - Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express, Rourkela - Bhubaneswar – Puri Vande Bharat Express, Ranchi – Howrah Vande Bharat Express andJamnagar-Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Express.

As compared to the current fastest train along the route, Rourkela- Bhubaneswar – Puri and Kasaragod - Thiruvananthapuram, the Vande Bharat trains will cut travel time between respective destinations by about three hours; Hyderabad – Bengaluru by more than 2.5 hours; Tirunelveli-Madurai- Chennai by more than 2 hours.

The travel time between Ranchi – Howrah and Patna – Howrah and Jamnagar-Ahmedabad will be reduced by about one hour when compared with the fastest trains currently available between these destinations.

The travel time between Udaipur - Jaipur will be reduced by about half an hour.

The Rourkela- Bhubaneswar – Puri and Tirunelveli-Madurai- Chennai trains will connect the important religious towns of Puri and Madurai.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

Check India news real-time updates, latest news on Hindustan Times and more across India.