Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the gathering during the flagging off of Vande Bharat Express trains at the railway station, in Varanasi.
Credit: PMO via PTI Photo
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said infrastructure is a major factor in the economic growth of developed countries around the world, and India is also moving fast on the path of development.
He was speaking after flagging off four new Vande Bharat Express trains from the Banaras railway station in Varanasi, his Lok Sabha constituency.
“In developed countries across the world, the biggest reason for economic growth has been their infrastructure. In every nation that has achieved major progress, the driving force behind it has been infrastructure development,” Modi said.
“Infrastructure is not just about big bridges and highways. Whenever such systems are developed anywhere, it sparks the overall development of that region,” he said.
Noting that across the developed nations of the world, a major driver of economic growth has been robust infrastructure, Modi highlighted that in every country that has achieved significant progress and development, infrastructure advancement has played a pivotal role.
He stated that India too is rapidly striding on this path. In this context, the Prime Minister announced the launch of new Vande Bharat trains across various regions of the country. In addition to the Banaras–Khajuraho Vande Bharat, he flagged off the Firozpur–Delhi Vande Bharat, the Lucknow–Saharanpur Vande Bharat, and the Ernakulam–Bengaluru Vande Bharat.
With these four new trains, the total number of operational Vande Bharat trains in the country has now exceeded 160. The Prime Minister extended his congratulations to the people of Varanasi and all citizens of India on the launch of these trains.
“Trains like Vande Bharat, Namo Bharat, and Amrit Bharat are laying the foundation for the next generation of Indian Railways”, underlined the Prime Minister, emphasising that this is a comprehensive campaign to transform Indian Railways.
He described Vande Bharat as a train made by Indians, for Indians, and of Indians—one that fills every Indian with pride. He noted that even foreign passengers are astonished upon seeing Vande Bharat.
Modi highlighted that India has embarked on a mission to enhance its resources for a developed India, and these trains are poised to become milestones in that journey.
Underlining India’s fast-paced progress, the prime minister said, “With so many Vande Bharat trains running and flights arriving from countries across the world, all these developments are now linked to growth. Today, India too is moving rapidly on this path.”
“Trains like Vande Bharat, Namo Bharat and Amrit Bharat are laying the foundation of a new generation of Indian Railways,” he said.
He said pilgrimage sites are the centres of spirituality and the development work done in Uttar Pradesh in the last 11 years has taken them to a new level.
Highlighting the often-overlooked economic dimension of pilgrimage in India, the Prime Minister noted that over the past 11 years, developmental initiatives in Uttar Pradesh have elevated pilgrimage to a new level. Last year alone, 11 crore devotees visited Varanasi for darshan of Baba Vishwanath. Since the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, over 6 crore people have visited the temple of Ram Lalla.
Modi stated that these pilgrims have contributed thousands of crores of rupees to Uttar Pradesh’s economy. He remarked that this influx has provided sustained earning opportunities to hotels, traders, transport companies, local artists, and boat operators across the state. As a result, hundreds of youth in Varanasi are now launching new ventures—from transport services to Banarasi saree businesses. He affirmed that these developments have opened the doors of prosperity in Uttar Pradesh and in Varanasi.
He highlighted that Varanasi is witnessing the establishment, expansion and qualitative improvement of quality hospitals, improved roads, gas pipeline networks, and internet connectivity.
The PM mentioned that rapid progress is being made on the ropeway project, and sports infrastructure such as the Ganjari and Sigra stadiums is also in place. The Prime Minister emphasized that the goal is to make visiting, living in, and experiencing Banaras a special experience for everyone.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also attended the event.
The new Vande Bharat Express trains will operate on the Banaras-Khajuraho, Lucknow-Saharanpur, Firozpur-Delhi and Ernakulam-Bengaluru routes.