MUMBAI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off two Vande Bharat trains in Mumbai, saying that they exemplify the speed and scale of India’s progress.
Prime Minister Modi flagged off the Mumbai-Sainagar Shirdi Vande Bharat Express and Mumbai-Solapur Vande Bharat Express on Friday, taking the total number of such trains in the country to 10.
Speaking on the occasion, he said these trains will benefit students and office-goers while also facilitating devotees and farmers.
“For the first time, two Vande Bharat trains have been flagged off at once. They’ll connect financial centres such as Mumbai and Pune to centres of religious significance. They will benefit college and office-goers, farmers and devotees. It will also boost tourism and pilgrimage,” PM Modi said.
He further informed that as on date, Vande Bharat trains connect as many as 108 districts of 17 states.
“Vande Bharat train is a magnificent picture of today’s modern India. It is a reflection of the speed and scale of India’s growth. You can see the speed with which the country is launching Vande Bharat trains. Ten such trains are now operating in the country. A total of 108 districts across 17 states have been connected by the Vande Bharat Express,” he said.
PM Modi said the MPs are now demanding the Vande Bharat trains in their cities.
“Earlier there was a time when the MPs would write to us, requesting us to add halts of express trains in their constituencies. But now, when the MPs visit me, they ask me to ensure that Vande Bharat trains connect their cities or constituencies. Such is the craze for Vande Bharat trains today,” he said.
The new and upgraded version of Vande Bharat Express will run between Mumbai and Solapur and Mumbai and Sainagar Shirdi.
Mumbai-Solapur train, the ninth Vande Bharat train will connect the country’s commercial capital to the City of Textiles and Hutatmas in Maharashtra and ensure faster connectivity to pilgrimage centres such as Siddheshwar in Solapur, Akkalkot, Tuljapur, Pandharpur near Solapur and Alandi near Pune.
According to Railways, the existing superfast train takes 7 hours 55 minutes while Vande Bharat will complete the same journey in 6 hours 30 minutes, thus saving 1 hour 30 minutes of travel time. It will also connect pilgrimage centres, textile hub, tourist sites and the education hub of Pune.
The Mumbai-Sainagar Shirdi Vande Bharat Express, which is the 10th Vande Bharat train in the country, will boost connectivity to important pilgrimage centres in Maharashtra’s Nashik, Trimbakeshwar, Sainagar Shirdi and Shani Singapur.
The Vande Bharat Train is an indigenously manufactured, Semi-High Speed and self-propelled train set. The train is equipped with state-of-the-art passenger amenities, providing a much faster, more comfortable and more convenient travel experience for railway passengers. (ANI)