Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday flagged off Odisha's first Vande Bharat Express train which will run between Puri and Howrah. According to an official release from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the train will pass through Khordha, Cuttack, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore districts in Odisha and Paschim Medinipur, Purba Medinipur districts in West Bengal. The release said that the train will provide faster, comfortable and convenient travel experience to the rail users, boost tourism and promote economic development in the region.
Speaking on the occasion, PM Modi said that India has manufactured Vande Bharat trains on its own and is making 5G and other technologies on its own.
"India has manufactured Vande Bharat trains on its own. Today, our country is making 5G on its own and delivering it to far areas...". the PM said after he flagged off Vande Bharat Express between Puri and Howrah via video conferencing.
The Prime Minister said that there was a time when high-end technologies were limited only to the big cities. "Today’s India has left these notions behind and is striving ahead," he added.
Earlier, ahead of the launch of the train, folk artists performed at Odisha's Puri railway station
News agency ANI also posted a video of the train.
Moreover, the Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone and dedicated several railway projects worth more than Rs 8,000 crores. Earlier in the day, Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Ashwini Vaishnaw offered prayers at Puri's Shree Jagannath temple earlier today.
Speaking on railway projects, Vaishnaw said, "Today, PM Modi will fulfil the dream of 4.5 crore Odias by flagging off the Puri-Howrah Vande Bharat Express train. The PM will inaugurate several projects worth more than Rs 8200 crores in the state."
The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of the redevelopment of Puri and Cuttack railway stations. The redeveloped stations will have all modern amenities providing world-class experience to the rail passengers. PM Modi will also dedicate 100 per cent electrification of the rail network in Odisha which will reduce the operating and maintenance cost and reliance on imported crude oil.
PMO said that Prime Minister Modi will also dedicate the doubling of the Sambalpur-Titlagarh rail line; a new broad gauge rail line between Angul-Sukinda; the third line connecting Manoharpur-Rourkela-Jharsuguda-Jamga and new broad-gauge line between Bichhupali-Jhartarbha. These will cater to the increased traffic demands as a result of rapid industrial development in steel, power and mining sectors in Odisha and will also help ease the pressure on passenger traffic in these rail sections.