India News Network
New Delhi, August 18, 2021
Seventy-five Vande Bharat trains will connect every corner of the country by next year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced.
“These trains will commence operations during the 75 weeks of the Amrit Mahotsav (75th year) of the country’s independence,” he said in his address to the Nation on Independence Day celebrations on Sunday, August 15, 2021.
The Vande Bharat Express is a semi-high speed, fully air-conditioned train. It has quicker acceleration compared to other trains and feature contemporary passenger amenities. These include onboard infotainment and GPS based passenger information system, CCTV, automatic sliding doors with retractable coach footsteps and zero discharge vacuum-based bio-toilets.
Two such trains are already in operation on the Delhi-Varanasi and Delhi-Katra Vaishno Devi routes.
Foundation of Progress
Following is an extract from his speech at Red Fort:
“The foundation of progress in the modern world lies on modern infrastructure. It also fulfils the needs and aspirations of the middle class. Weak infrastructure derails the pace of development and the urban middle class also suffers.
“We have to work together for next-generation infrastructure, for world-class manufacturing, for cutting edge innovation and for New Age technology.
“Realising this need, the country has demonstrated extraordinary speed and scale in every field from the seas, land to the skies. Rapid progress is underway whether it is the development of new waterways or connecting new places with seaplanes. Indian Railways is also rapidly adapting to its modern avatar. The country has resolved to celebrate the Amrit Mahotsav of independence. You would know that we have decided to celebrate this Amrit Mahotsav of independence for 75 weeks. It started on March 12, 2021 and will continue until August 15, 2023. We have to move forward with new enthusiasm and, therefore, the country has made a very important decision.
“During these 75 weeks of the Amrit Mahotsav of Independence, 75 Vande Bharat trains will connect every corner of the country. The pace at which new airports are being built in the country and the UDAN scheme connecting remote areas is unprecedented. We can see how better air connectivity gives new flights to people’s dreams.
Holistic and Integrated Approach
“Along with modern infrastructure, there is a great need for adopting a holistic and integrated approach in infrastructure construction. In the near future, we are going to launch the National Master Plan of Prime Minister ‘Gati Shakti’ which will be a huge scheme and fulfil the dreams of crores of countrymen. This scheme will result in new employment opportunities for lakhs of youth.
Gati Shakti will be a National Infrastructure Master Plan for our country which will lay the foundation of holistic Infrastructure and will lead to an integrated and holistic pathway to our economy. Right now, there is no coordination between our means of transport. Gati Shakti will break the silos and will remove all these obstacles. This will reduce the travel time for the common man and the productivity of our industry will also increase.
“Gati Shakti will also go a long way in making our local manufacturers globally competitive and this will also develop new possibilities for the creation of future economic zones. In this decade, the power of speed will form the basis of India’s transformation.”
Mr Modi highlighted steps to improve connectivity in the North-East region.
“Today, a new history of connectivity is being written in the North-East. This is a connectivity of both the hearts and the infrastructure. Very soon the work of connecting all the state capitals of the North-East with rail service is going to be completed,” he said.
Act East Policy
Mr Modi said that under the Act-East Policy, the North-East, Bangladesh, Myanmar and South-East Asia were also being connected.
“Due to the efforts made in the past years, now the enthusiasm for the creation of Shrestha Bharat and long-lasting peace in the North-East has increased manifold. The pace at which new airports are being built and the UDAN scheme connecting remote areas is unprecedented,” Mr Modi said.
