Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again gifted the country a new pace from Varanasi. On Saturday morning, he flagged off four new Vande Bharat Express trains. He said that Vande Bharat has now become a tradition connecting the soul of India, not just a means of travel.
These four trains include services running between Varanasi and Khajuraho, Firozpur-Delhi, Ernakulam-Bengaluru, and Lucknow to Saharanpur. The interesting thing is that Varanasi has received its eighth Vande Bharat train.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his address with the chant of "Har Har Mahadev" and extended greetings to the people in the local language of Banaras. PM said that trains like Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat have become the identity of a new era for Indian Railways. He said that the development in UP over the last 11 years has given it a new dimension. The pilgrims who came here have contributed crores of rupees to the development of UP.
The Prime Minister said that the door to prosperity is opening in Kashi. To realise the mantra of a developed India from a developed Kashi, we are continuously undertaking numerous infrastructure projects here. Facilities like good hospitals, good roads, gas pipelines, and internet connectivity are continuously being expanded in Kashi. Our government's effort is to continuously improve health services in Kashi. 10-11 years ago, the situation here was such that if one needed treatment for a serious illness, the only option was BHU, and the number of patients was so high that even after standing all night, treatment was not available. For diseases like cancer, people used to sell their land and fields and go to Mumbai. Today, our government has worked to reduce all these worries of the people of Kashi. Mahamana Cancer Hospital, Shankara Netralaya for eye treatment, modern trauma centre at BHU, all these hospitals have become a boon not only for Kashi and Purvanchal but also for the surrounding states. Kashi is now known as a health capital in these regions.
This was Prime Minister Modi's fifth visit this year and his 53rd arrival in Varanasi since becoming an MP. He reached Kashi on Friday evening around 5 PM. BJP workers showered flowers and welcomed him along the 27-kilometre route from the airport to the Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW) Guest House. The atmosphere in the city was festive. Posters adorned the streets, diyas were lit in temples, and the same old enthusiasm was visible on people's faces. As evening fell, the Prime Minister reached the BLW Guest House, where he stayed overnight.
