- The seventh Vande Bharat Express started its journey at 11.45 am from platform number 22 of Howrah Station to travel to New Jalpaiguri, the gateway to the Northeast.
- The world is looking at India with great faith; every Indian has to exert himself to live up to this expectation: PM
- On 13th January a cruise will set sail from Kashi to Dibrugarh via Bangladesh. The 3,200 km long journey is the first-of-its-kind in the entire world and a reflection of the growing cruise tourism in the country: Modi
NE NEWS SERVICE
KOLKATA, DEC 30
Within a few hours after performing the last rites of his centenarian mother Heeraben in Gandhinagar,Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday asserted that the Union government is making record investment for railway infrastructure modernisation.
Railway and metro projects being launched in West Bengal will improve connectivity and further 'Ease of Living' for the people. https://t.co/Z0Hec08qh5
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 30, 2022
In an address after virtually flagging off Howrah-New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express, the Prime Minister said that railway stations, including New Jalpaiguri, are being developed on the lines of airports.
Condolences to PM @narendramodi Ji on the passing away of his mother, Heeraben Modi. I pray that her soul rests in peace.
In this hour of grief, I hope that he and his family members find strength.
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 30, 2022
The Prime Minister also inaugurated the Joka-Taratala Stretch of the Joka-Esplanade Metro Project (Purple Line). He also dedicated four railway projects to the nation including Boinchi – Shaktigarh 3rd Line, Dankuni – Chandanpur 4th Line Project, Nimtita – New Farakka Double Line and Ambari Falakata – New Maynaguri – Gumanihat Doubling Project. The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of the New Jalpaiguri Railway Station.
Noting that doubling of tracks and electrification is underway at a record speed, he said that the eastern and western freight corridors will bring revolutionary changes to the country’s economy.
“Today’s Vande Bharat train was launched from the land where ‘Vande Mataram’ slogan was coined,” he pointed out.
विकास यात्रा की सारथी.. नारी शक्ति।
Our Loco Pilots. pic.twitter.com/QyxsApLtN2— Ashwini Vaishnaw (मोदी का परिवार) (@AshwiniVaishnaw) December 29, 2022
The Prime Minister added, “The launch date of December 30 is significant as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had hoisted the tricolour in Andaman and Nicobar Islands on this day in 1943.”
On the issue of water pollution, he said that the Centre is laying stress on preventing pollution of rivers.
“West Bengal will have 25 new sewage treatment projects, 11 of which have already been completed, while seven will be launched during the day,” he said.
“In this year of Azaadi ke Amrit Kaal, we will adopt forward-looking approach to take country ahead. The world is looking at India with great faith; every Indian has to exert himself to live up to this expectation,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Modi virtually flagged off the express in the presence of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Also present on the occasion were Governor C V Ananda Bose and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
The seventh Vande Bharat Express started its journey at 11.45 am from platform number 22 of Howrah Station to travel to New Jalpaiguri, the gateway to the Northeast.
The blue-and-white train, which covers a distance of 564 km in 7.45 hours, will save three hours of travel time compared to other trains on the route, officials said. It will have three stoppages at Barsoi, Malda and Bolpur.
The Vande Bharat Express with modern passenger amenities is likely to be preferred both by regular passengers, tea industry executives and tourists travelling to the Himalayas in North Bengal and Sikkim.
The state-of-the-art train has 16 coaches, including two for drivers.
Earlier, Banerjee, while speaking on the occasion, condoled the demise of Modi’s mother Hiraben. “Your mother is also our mother,” she said.
The CM also said work on four out of the five railway projects that Modi will launch on Friday were started during her tenure as railway minister.
The Prime Minister informed that more than 100 waterways are being developed today and work is taking place to introduce advanced cruise ships in the rivers while boosting business and tourism. The Prime Minister also highlighted the Ganga-Brahmaputra project that is being carried out between India and Bangladesh to establish waterway links between the two rivers. Referring to the cruise that is going to set sail on 13th January 2023 from Kashi to Dibrugarh via Bangladesh, the Prime Minister informed that the 3200 km long journey is the first-of-its-kind in the entire world and it will be a reflection of the growing cruise tourism in the country.
