Express News Service
BHUBANESWAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called for unity among all states and emphasized the need to strengthen the integrity of the country.
Referring to the era of Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal, the Prime Minister said that the collective capabilities of the country can reach the pinnacle if the country remains totally united.
The PM flagged off Odisha’s first Vande Bharat Express between Puri and Howrah. He also dedicated and laid the foundation stone for several railway projects worth over Rs 8000 crore through videoconferencing from New Delhi.
Modi said the Vande Bharat Express is a reflection of such belief where it is becoming the engine of development for the country and taking forward the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’.
“The Indian Railway connects and weaves everyone together in a thread and the Vande Bharat Express will also move forward with the same idea and thought. Fifteen Vande Bharat Trains are already running in various states of the country giving a push to the economy of the country. The new train will strengthen the spiritual and cultural connection between Odisha and West Bengal,” he said.
The PM termed the Vande Bharat Express as a symbol of modern and aspirational India. “India’s speed and progress can be seen whenever a Vande Bharat train runs from one place to another. This will entirely change the meaning of development along with the experience of travel saving time and boosting trade and economy and providing new opportunities for the youth,” he hoped.
The Prime Minister said the policy of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas is benefitting those states, which lagged behind in development. Balanced development of the states is equally necessary for the rapid development of India, Modi said as he highlighted the nation’s endeavour that no state should lag behind in the race of development due to a lack of resources.
The PM said the government reformed the mining policy keeping in mind the mineral wealth which led to a considerable increase in the revenue of all states possessing mineral wealth. The income from tax has also increased after the introduction of GST. He stressed that the resources are being used for the development of states and for the services of the poor.
Not only that the Central government is paying full attention to ensure that Odisha can successfully combat natural calamities, but he also informed that the government has provided more than Rs 8,000 crore to the state for disaster management and NDRF.
The budget for railway schemes in Odisha has increased significantly in the last nine years. New railway lines of around 120 km are being built now as against only 20 km before 2014. The doubling of lines has improved from less than 20 km a year to 300 km in 2022-23. The long pending projects like the Khurda-Balangir line and Haridaspur-Paradip line are being completed rapidly, Modi said.
The PM laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of Puri and Cuttack railway stations, dedicated 100 per cent electrification of the rail network in Odisha, doubling of the Sambalpur-Titlagarh rail line, Angul-Sukinda and Bichhupali-Jhartarbha new broad gauge rail lines and third line connecting Manoharpur-Rourkela-Jharsuguda-Jamga.
“Odisha is one of those states in the country where 100 per cent electrification of rail lines has been achieved. The work is underway at a fast pace to achieve the same feat in West Bengal. This will result in an overall increase in the speed of trains as well as save time for freight trains. The mineral-rich Odisha will greatly benefit from the electrification of rail lines where pollution emanating from diesel engines will be significantly reduced and help in the industrial development of the state,” he observed.
Stating that India is making record investments on infrastructure development, Modi said infrastructure not only makes people’s lives easier but also empowers society. He highlighted several welfare schemes, including PMAY, PMGKY, Ayushman Bharat, Ujjwala and Saubhagya for providing houses, free ration, health coverage, cooking gas and free electricity connections.
The PM informed the number of airports in the country has increased from 75 a decade ago to 150 now and drew attention to various photographs and videos on social media where ordinary citizens of the country can be seen sharing their air travel experience.
The Prime Minister said India’s achievements in the field of infrastructure are the subject of studies nowadays. The country is moving with the spirit of ‘Jan Seva hi Prabhu Seva’ (the service of people is the service of god). He exuded confidence that the pace of development in Odisha, West Bengal and the entire country will get a boost and the nation will achieve the goal of a new and developed India.
Governor Ganeshi Lal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Minister of Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan also spoke among others.
Vande Bharat Express
Puri-Howrah Vande Bharat Express will pass through Khurda, Cuttack, Jajpur, Bhadrak and Balasore districts in Odisha and Paschim Medinipur and Purba Medinipur districts in West Bengal. The train will provide a faster, more comfortable and more convenient travel experience for rail users, boost tourism and promote economic development in the region.
The regular run of the semi-high-speed Vande Bharat Express with 16 coaches will commence on May 20. The train will leave Howrah at 6.10 am and arrive at Puri at 12.35 pm. In the return direction, it will depart from Puri at 1.50 pm and reach Howrah at 8.30 pm. The train will have seven stoppages for two minutes each.
The booking of reservation tickets is available through online and offline mode since Wednesday. The fare to travel from Puri to Howrah is Rs 1265 (including Rs 162 for food) for a chair car and Rs 2,420 (including Rs 195 for food) for an executive class. The passengers can opt for ‘no food’ and the catering charges will be deducted from the fare.
BHUBANESWAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called for unity among all states and emphasized the need to strengthen the integrity of the country.
Referring to the era of Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal, the Prime Minister said that the collective capabilities of the country can reach the pinnacle if the country remains totally united.
The PM flagged off Odisha’s first Vande Bharat Express between Puri and Howrah. He also dedicated and laid the foundation stone for several railway projects worth over Rs 8000 crore through videoconferencing from New Delhi.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
Modi said the Vande Bharat Express is a reflection of such belief where it is becoming the engine of development for the country and taking forward the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’.
“The Indian Railway connects and weaves everyone together in a thread and the Vande Bharat Express will also move forward with the same idea and thought. Fifteen Vande Bharat Trains are already running in various states of the country giving a push to the economy of the country. The new train will strengthen the spiritual and cultural connection between Odisha and West Bengal,” he said.
The PM termed the Vande Bharat Express as a symbol of modern and aspirational India. “India’s speed and progress can be seen whenever a Vande Bharat train runs from one place to another. This will entirely change the meaning of development along with the experience of travel saving time and boosting trade and economy and providing new opportunities for the youth,” he hoped.
The Prime Minister said the policy of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas is benefitting those states, which lagged behind in development. Balanced development of the states is equally necessary for the rapid development of India, Modi said as he highlighted the nation’s endeavour that no state should lag behind in the race of development due to a lack of resources.
The PM said the government reformed the mining policy keeping in mind the mineral wealth which led to a considerable increase in the revenue of all states possessing mineral wealth. The income from tax has also increased after the introduction of GST. He stressed that the resources are being used for the development of states and for the services of the poor.
Not only that the Central government is paying full attention to ensure that Odisha can successfully combat natural calamities, but he also informed that the government has provided more than Rs 8,000 crore to the state for disaster management and NDRF.
The budget for railway schemes in Odisha has increased significantly in the last nine years. New railway lines of around 120 km are being built now as against only 20 km before 2014. The doubling of lines has improved from less than 20 km a year to 300 km in 2022-23. The long pending projects like the Khurda-Balangir line and Haridaspur-Paradip line are being completed rapidly, Modi said.
The PM laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of Puri and Cuttack railway stations, dedicated 100 per cent electrification of the rail network in Odisha, doubling of the Sambalpur-Titlagarh rail line, Angul-Sukinda and Bichhupali-Jhartarbha new broad gauge rail lines and third line connecting Manoharpur-Rourkela-Jharsuguda-Jamga.
“Odisha is one of those states in the country where 100 per cent electrification of rail lines has been achieved. The work is underway at a fast pace to achieve the same feat in West Bengal. This will result in an overall increase in the speed of trains as well as save time for freight trains. The mineral-rich Odisha will greatly benefit from the electrification of rail lines where pollution emanating from diesel engines will be significantly reduced and help in the industrial development of the state,” he observed.
Stating that India is making record investments on infrastructure development, Modi said infrastructure not only makes people’s lives easier but also empowers society. He highlighted several welfare schemes, including PMAY, PMGKY, Ayushman Bharat, Ujjwala and Saubhagya for providing houses, free ration, health coverage, cooking gas and free electricity connections.
The PM informed the number of airports in the country has increased from 75 a decade ago to 150 now and drew attention to various photographs and videos on social media where ordinary citizens of the country can be seen sharing their air travel experience.
The Prime Minister said India’s achievements in the field of infrastructure are the subject of studies nowadays. The country is moving with the spirit of ‘Jan Seva hi Prabhu Seva’ (the service of people is the service of god). He exuded confidence that the pace of development in Odisha, West Bengal and the entire country will get a boost and the nation will achieve the goal of a new and developed India.
Governor Ganeshi Lal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Minister of Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan also spoke among others.
Vande Bharat Express
Puri-Howrah Vande Bharat Express will pass through Khurda, Cuttack, Jajpur, Bhadrak and Balasore districts in Odisha and Paschim Medinipur and Purba Medinipur districts in West Bengal. The train will provide a faster, more comfortable and more convenient travel experience for rail users, boost tourism and promote economic development in the region.
The regular run of the semi-high-speed Vande Bharat Express with 16 coaches will commence on May 20. The train will leave Howrah at 6.10 am and arrive at Puri at 12.35 pm. In the return direction, it will depart from Puri at 1.50 pm and reach Howrah at 8.30 pm. The train will have seven stoppages for two minutes each.
The booking of reservation tickets is available through online and offline mode since Wednesday. The fare to travel from Puri to Howrah is Rs 1265 (including Rs 162 for food) for a chair car and Rs 2,420 (including Rs 195 for food) for an executive class. The passengers can opt for ‘no food’ and the catering charges will be deducted from the fare.
