R. ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, JAN 17
Tourists from Tamil Nadu can now take a train to reach the world’s tallest statue in Gujarat, as a weekly special train connecting Kevadiya in the western state and Chennai was flagged off on Sunday.
प्रधानमंत्री @NarendraModi जी ने केवड़िया, गुजरात स्थित Statue of Unity को देश के विभिन्न क्षेत्रों से जोड़ने वाली रेल परियोजनाओं का शुभारंभ किया।
इनसे पर्यटन को बढ़ावा मिलने के साथ ही निकटवर्ती इलाकों में नए रोजगार का सृजन होगा और विकास को गति मिलेगी। #StatueOfUnityByRail pic.twitter.com/sfBsNlBQdd
— Piyush Goyal (मोदी का परिवार) (@PiyushGoyal) January 17, 2021
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated eight trains connecting different parts of the country to Kevadiya, where the Statue of Unity of Sardar Patel is located, through video-conference mode. Modi said these trains will boost connectivity to the ”Statue of Unity”.
“Today, I am leaving for my home state for the first time after the COVID-19 enforced lockdown was eased. I am very happy to travel by this train”, a passenger said in a video recorded by Southern Railway and shared on its official social media account.
Commemorating the launch of the service, train ticket examiner (TTE) of the special train distributed ”souvenir tickets” to passengers, which provided information of the ”Statue of the Unity” to the tourists.
The PM also paid rich tributes to AIADMK founder M G Ramachandran on the 104th birth anniversary of the late chief minister as he mentioned the train connecting Kevadiya to Chennai.
“It is a happy coincidence that today is the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna MGR. From movie screen to political screen, MGR ruled the hearts of people. His life, his entire political journey was dedicated to the poor,” Modi said.
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Statue of Unity gets more tourists than Statue of Liberty, says PM; new train for Chennai
In view of the inaugural, the train was decked up with flowers and elaborate arrangements were made at the Dr M GR Chennai Central Railway Station. The weekly superfast train would have a composition of one air conditioned two tier coach, three tier air-conditioned coaches, one luggage cum brake van and one generator cum power car.
The train would be operated on Wednesdays and Sundays, Southern Railway said in a press release.
The train leaving Puratchithalaivar Dr M G R Chennai Central Railway Station would halt at Renigunta, Cudappah, Guntakal, Raichur, Solapur, Pune, Kalyan, Vasal Road, Surat and Vadodara.
