VARANASI — Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday flagged off four new Vande Bharat Express trains from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, in what the Prime Minister's Office called a significant step towards expanding India's modern rail infrastructure.
Source: Prime Minister's Office (PM India)
In addition to the Banaras–Khajuraho Vande Bharat, he flagged off the Firozpur–Delhi Vande Bharat, the Lucknow–Saharanpur Vande Bharat, and the Ernakulam–Bengaluru Vande Bharat. With these four new trains, the total number of operational Vande Bharat trains in the country has now exceeded 160, the PMO said.
Source: Prime Minister's Office (PM India)
What each new train does
The Banaras–Khajuraho Vande Bharat will establish direct connectivity on this route and connect religious and cultural destinations including Varanasi, Prayagraj, Chitrakoot, and Khajuraho, the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the PMO said. The Lucknow–Saharanpur Vande Bharat will cover the journey in approximately 7 hours 45 minutes, saving nearly 1 hour, and will benefit passengers from Lucknow, Sitapur, Shahjahanpur, Bareilly, Moradabad, Bijnor, and Saharanpur, while also improving access to Haridwar via Roorkee.
Source: Prime Minister's Office (PM India)
The Firozpur–Delhi Vande Bharat will be the fastest train on this route, completing the journey in just 6 hours 40 minutes, and will strengthen connectivity between the national capital and Punjab cities including Firozpur, Bathinda, and Patiala, the PMO said. In southern India, the Ernakulam–Bengaluru Vande Bharat will reduce travel time by over 2 hours, completing the journey in 8 hours 40 minutes, connecting major IT and commercial hubs across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.
Source: Prime Minister's Office (PM India)
'Foundation for the next generation of Indian Railways'
"Trains like Vande Bharat, Namo Bharat, and Amrit Bharat are laying the foundation for the next generation of Indian Railways," the Prime Minister said at the flag-off, describing Vande Bharat as a train made by Indians, for Indians. Indian Railways Executive Director (Information and Publicity) Dilip Kumar told ANI that with the addition of eight new services — counting both directions — the total number of Vande Bharat services across the country will now be 164.
Source: ANI via Manila Metro
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw were present at the Varanasi event, while Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar and Union Ministers Suresh Gopi, George Kurian and Ravneet Singh Bittu joined through videoconferencing, the PMO said.