PrintFriendly
PM Modi in Varanasi, UP
In a significant step towards expanding India’s modern rail infrastructure, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 8 November flagged off four new Vande Bharat Express trains from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Shri Narendra Modi said across the developed nations of the world, a major driver of economic growth has been robust infrastructure, He said 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.
Doors of prosperity in Uttar Pradesh
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. Shri 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.
Varanasi-Health capital of the entire region
Noting that the government is consistently working to improve healthcare services in Varanasi, Shri Modi recalled the situation 10–11 years ago, he remarked that for serious illnesses, Banaras Hindu University (BHU) was the only option, and due to overwhelming patient numbers, many were unable to receive treatment even after waiting overnight. For diseases like cancer, people had to sell land and farms to seek treatment in Mumbai. The Prime Minister affirmed that his government has worked to reduce these concerns. He listed the Mahamana Cancer Hospital for cancer treatment, Shankar Netralaya for eye care, the advanced trauma center and Centenary Hospital at BHU, and the divisional hospital at Pandeypur as institutions that have become a boon for Varanasi, Purvanchal, and neighboring states. He added that due to Ayushman Bharat and Jan Aushadhi Kendras in these hospitals, lakhs of poor patients are saving crores of rupees. This has not only alleviated public anxiety but has also led to Varanasi being recognized as the health capital of the entire region.
Shri Modi also mentioned about meeting the students who were present at the flag-off event. He praised Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw for making it a practice to arrange competition among students during the launch of Vande Bharat trains. He commended the children for the paintings and poems presented at the competition, based on various themes like Viksit Bharat, Viksit Kashi, Surakshit Bharat. He also lauded their parents and teachers for the support, guidance and encouragement provided.
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Yogi Adityanath, Union Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw were present among other dignitaries at the event.