Vande Bharat is a milestone in India's development: Prime Minister

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Vande Bharat trains are an important milestone in the journey towards a Developed India. Modi was speaking after inaugurating four new Vande Bharat trains, including the Ernakulam–Bengaluru service, through an online ceremony held in Varanasi.

"Even foreigners are surprised when they see the Vande Bharat trains. Trains like Vande Bharat, Namo Bharat, and Amrit Bharat form the foundation for the next generation of Indian Railways. Spiritual centres such as Prayagraj, Ayodhya, Haridwar, Chitrakoot, and Kurukshetra are being connected through the Vande Bharat network. This is a major step towards transforming heritage cities into symbols of national progress," Modi said.

The Prime Minister also interacted with students who took part in the flag-off event. The other trains that started service yesterday are Banaras–Khajuraho, Lucknow–Saharanpur, and Firozpur–Delhi. With this, the total number of Vande Bharat trains in the country has crossed 160.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw attended the event. Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar, and Union Ministers Suresh Gopi, George Kurian, and Ravneet Singh Bittu joined via video conferencing.