2 Trains from (DOS)DEHRI ON SONE to (KYN)KALYAN JN

 Flags off Vande Bharat Express between Puri and Howrah

Dedicates 100% electrification of rail network in Odisha

Lays foundation stone for redevelopment of Puri and Cuttack railway stations

“India’s speed and progress can be seen whenever a Vande Bharat Train runs”

“The Indian Railway connects and weaves everyone together in a thread”

“India has maintained the speed of its development despite extremely adverse global circumstances”

“New India is creating technology indigenously and also taking that to every nook and corner of the country”

“Odisha is o­ne of those states in the country where 100 percent electrification of rail lines has been achieved”

“Infrastructure not o­nly makes people’s lives easier but also empowers society”

 â€œCountry is moving with the spirit of ‘Jan Seva hi Prabhu Seva’ - Service of people is the service of god

“Balanced development of the states is necessary for the rapid development of India”

“Central government is paying full attention to ensure that Odisha can successfully combat natural calamities”

 The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation, several railway projects worth more than Rs 8000 crores in Odisha via video conferencing today. The projects include flagging off the Vande Bharat Express between Puri and Howrah, laying the foundation stone for the redevelopment of Puri and Cuttack railway stations, dedication of 100% electrification of the rail network in Odisha, doubling of the Sambalpur-Titlagarh rail line,  a new broad gauge rail line between Angul - Sukinda; the third line connecting Manoharpur - Rourkela - Jharsuguda - Jamga and a new broad-gauge line between Bichhupali - Jhartarbha.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister remarked that the people of Odisha and West Bengal are being presented the Vande Bharat Express today which is 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”, the Prime Minister said as he noted that this pace can now be witnessed in the states of Odisha and West Bengal. The Prime Minister said that this will entirely change the meaning of development along with the experience of traveling for the passengers. Be it traveling from Kolkata to Puri for darshan or the other way round, the Prime Minister informed that the travel time will now be reduced to o­nly six and half hours, thereby saving time, giving rise to business opportunities and providing new opportunities for the youth.

The Prime Minister noted that the railway is the first choice and priority for any citizen who wishes to travel afar and mentioned the other railway development projects whose foundation stone has been laid today including the redevelopment and modernization of Puri and Cuttack Railway Stations, along with the dedication of doubling of rail lines in the region and 100 percent electrification of rail lines in Odisha. 

Referring to the era of Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal, the Prime Minister emphasized the need to strengthen the unity and integrity of the country and said that the collective capabilities of the country can reach the pinnacle if the country remains totally united. He remarked that the Vande Bharat Express is a reflection of such belief where it is becoming the engine of development for the country while forwarding 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”, the Prime Minister said. He further added that the train will strengthen the spiritual and cultural connection between Puri and Howrah. The Prime Minister informed that fifteen Vande Bharat Trains are already running in various states of the country giving a push to the economy of the country

The Prime Minister said that in recent times India has maintained the speed of its development despite extremely adverse circumstances. Shri Modi credited the participation of every state in this journey and said that the country is moving forward taking every state along. The Prime Minister said that, unlike earlier times, New India is creating technology indigenously and also taking that to every nook and corner of the country. Referring to the indigenous origins of Vande Bharat Trains, the Prime Minister mentioned that India has developed technology like 5G and vaccines during the pandemic. He underlined that these innovations never remained limited to o­ne state or city but were taken throughout the country in an equal manner. Similarly, He said Vande Bharat is touching all corners of the country.

The Prime Minister said that this policy of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas is benefitting those states, which lagged behind in development. He said that the budget for railway schemes in Odisha has increased significantly. He informed that in 10 years before 2014, o­nly 20 km of Railway Lines were laid annually in the state, while in the year 2022-23, 120 km long lines were laid in just o­ne year. He said long pending projects like the Khurda Bolangir line, and the Haridaspur-Paradip line,  are being completed rapidly.

“Odisha is o­ne of those states in the country where 100 percent electrification of rail lines has been achieved”, the Prime Minister remarked as he informed that work is underway at a fast pace to achieve the same feat in West Bengal. This, the Prime Minister said, has resulted in the overall increase in the speed of trains as well as saved time for freight trains. He noted that the mineral-rich state of 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.

The Prime Minister also touched upon another aspect of building infrastructure which is not talked about as much. He said that infrastructure not o­nly makes people’s lives easier but also empowers society. “The development of the people lags behind when there is a lack of infrastructure. When infrastructure is developed, the rapid development of the people takes place simultaneously”, the Prime Minister said. Highlighting the development initiatives, the Prime Minister gave the example of PM Saubhagya Yojana where the Government has provided free electricity connections to more than 2.5 crore households including about 25 lakh houses in Odisha and 7.25 lakh houses in West Bengal.

Informing that the number of airports in the country increased from 75 to 150 today, the Prime Minister drew attention to the 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 that India's achievements in the field of infrastructure are the subject of studies today. He said when 10 lakh crores are allocated for infrastructure, that creates lakhs of jobs and railway and highway connectivity goes beyond ease of travel and connects farmers with new markets, tourists with new attractions and students with their preferred colleges.

The Prime Minister said that the country is moving with the spirit of ‘Jan Seva hi Prabhu Seva’ - Service of people is the service of god. He mentioned Temples like Jagannath and places of pilgrimage like Puri where Prasad has been distributed for centuries and thousands of poor people are fed. He said in the same spirit initiatives like PM Garib Kalyan Scheme providing free ration to 80 crore people and schemes like Ayushman Card, Ujwalla, Jal Jeevan Mission and PM Awas Yojana. “Today the poor are getting all those basic facilities for which they had to wait for years”, he said.

“Balanced development of the states is equally necessary for the rapid development of India”, the Prime Minister said as he highlighted the nation’s endeavor that no state should lag behind in the race of development due to lack of resources. That is why, the Prime Minister said, the 15th Finance Commission recommended higher budgets for states like Odisha and West Bengal. Noting that Odisha has been blessed with vast natural wealth but was deprived of its own resources due to faulty policies, the Prime Minister highlighted that the Government reformed the mining policy keeping in mind the mineral wealth which led to the considerable increase in the revenue of all the states possessing mineral wealth. He also mentioned that the income from tax has also increased after the introduction of GST. The Prime Minister stressed that the resources are being used for the development of the state and for the service of the poor in the villages. “The central government is paying full attention to ensure that Odisha can successfully combat natural calamities”, the Prime Minister said as he informed that the Government has provided more than 8 thousand crore rupees to the state for disaster management and NDRF.

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that the pace of development in Odisha, West Bengal and the entire country will get a boost and we as a nation will achieve the goal of a new and developed India.

Governor of Odisha, Shri Ganeshi Lal, Chief Minister of Odisha, Shri Naveen Patnaik, Union Minister for Railways, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, and Union Minister of Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan were present o­n the occasion among others.

Background

The Prime Minister flagged off the Vande Bharat Express between Puri and Howrah. The train will pass through Khordha, 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 Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of Puri and Cuttack railway stations. The redeveloped stations will have all modern amenities providing a world-class experience to the rail passengers.

The Prime Minister dedicated 100% electrification of the rail network in Odisha. This will reduce the operating and maintenance cost and reduce reliance o­n imported crude oil. The Prime Minister also dedicated the doubling of the Sambalpur-Titlagarh rail line; a new broad gauge rail line between Angul-Sukinda; the third line connecting Manoharpur-Rourkela-Jharsuguda-Jamga and a new broad-gauge line between Bichhupali-Jhartarbha. These will cater to the increased traffic demands as a result of rapid industrial development in the steel, power & mining sectors in Odisha and will also help ease the pressure o­n passenger traffic in these rail sections.

ØDedicates to the nation newly electrified rail sections and declares Uttarakhand 100% electric traction state.

ØDelhi-Dehradun Vande Bharat Express will ensure ‘Ease of Travel’ as well as greater comfort for the citizens

ØIndia has become a ray of hope for the world when it comes to strengthening the economy and fighting poverty

ØThis decade is going to be the decade of Uttarakhand

ØDevbhoomi will be the center of the spiritual consciousness of the world

ØGovernment’s focus is o­n the Navratnas of Development for Uttrakhand

ØDouble engine government is working with double power and double speed

ØThe India of 21st century can scale further heights of development by maximizing the potential of infrastructure

ØParvat Mala Project is going to change the state's fortune in the coming days

ØRight intention, policy and dedication is driving development

ØThe country is not going to stop now, the country has now caught its pace. The whole country is moving ahead at the speed of Vande Bharat and will continue to move ahead

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi flagged off the inaugural run of Vande Bharat Express from Dehradun to Delhi via video conferencing today. He also dedicated to the nation, newly electrified rail sections and declared Uttarakhand a 100% electric traction state.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister congratulated everyone from Uttarakhand for the inaugural Vande Bharat  Express between Dehradun and Delhi and said the train will connect the nation’s capital to the Dev Bhoomi of Uttrakhand. He informed that the travel time between the two cities will be further reduced and the o­nboard facilities will make for a pleasant travel experience.

Throwing light o­n his three-nation tour to Japan, Papua New Guinea and Australia, the Prime Minister underlined that the world is looking at India with high hopes. “India has become a ray of hope for the world when it comes to strengthening the economy and fighting poverty”, the Prime Minister said. He also touched upon India’s tackling of the Coronavirus pandemic and the world's largest vaccination campaign carried out in the country. The Prime Minister emphasized that beautiful states like Uttarakhand should make the most of today's situation when people from around the world want to come to India. Shri Modi underlined that the Vande Bharat train is also going to help Uttarakhand in taking full advantage of this opportunity.

The Prime Minister recalled his visit to Kedarnath and remembered his spontaneous statement that ‘This decade is going to be the decade of Uttarakhand’. He praised the development push of the state while keeping the law and order situation strong. The Prime Minister expressed the hope that ‘Devbhoomi will be the center of the spiritual consciousness of the world.’ He said that we will have to work to realize this potential. He mentioned that the number of pilgrims for the  Char Dham Yatra keeps o­n breaking old records. He also talked about the devotees coming for the darshan of Baba Kedar, Kumbh/Ardh Kumbh at Haridwar and Kanwar Yatra. He said that not many states have this number of devotees arriving and it is a gift as well as a monumental task. “Double engine government is working with double power and double speed to make this ‘Bhagirath’ task easy”, he added.

The Prime Minister said that the government’s emphasis is o­n the ‘Navratna’, 9 gems of development. First Ratna, he said, is Rs 1300 crore rejuvenation work at Kedarnath-Badrinath Dham. Second, Rs 2500 crore Ropeway project at Gaurikund-Kedarnath and Gobind Ghat- Hemkunt Sahib. Third, the renovation of ancient temples of Kumaon under Manas Khand Mandir Mala programme. Fourth, the promotion of Homestay in the entire state where more than 4000 homestays have been registered in the state. Fifth, the development of 16 ecotourism destinations. Sixth, expansion of health services in Uttarakhand. AIIMS satellite center is coming up in Udham Singh Nagar. Seventh, Rs 2000 cr Tehri Lake Development Project. Eighth, the development of Haridwar Rishikesh as the capital of Yoga and adventure tourism and finally, the Tanakpur Bageshwar Rail Line.

He said these Navratnas are being consolidated with a new push to infrastructure development in the state. Work is going o­n at a rapid pace o­n Rs 12,000 cr Char Dham Mahapariyojana, he informed. Delhi Dehradun Expressway will make the journey faster and easier. He also talked about the Ropeway connectivity in Uttarakhand. “Parvat Mala Project is going to change the state's fortune in the coming days”, he said. He remarked that the Rs 16,000 cr Rishikesh-Karanprayag Rail Project will be completed in 2-3 years. The Project will make a big part of Uttarakhand accessible and will push investment, industry and employment.

The Prime Minister remarked that with the assistance of the Central Government, Uttarakhand is emerging as the hub of tourism, adventure tourism, film shooting destination and wedding destination. He said that the tourist spots of the state are attracting visitors from all across the globe and the Vande Bharat Express will be greatly beneficial to them. The Prime Minister observed that traveling by train remains the first choice for those who are accompanied by their family members and the Vande Bharat is gradually becoming the go-to means of transportation.

“The India of the 21st century can scale further heights of development by maximizing the potential of infrastructure”, the Prime Minister remarked as he pointed out that the governments of the past could not understand the importance of infrastructure while they were preoccupied with corruption and dynastic politics. Even though huge promises were made by the previous governments regarding high-speed trains in India, the Prime Minister observed that they even failed to get rid of unmanned gates from the rail network, while the state of electrification of rail lines was even worse. The Prime Minister informed that o­nly o­ne-third of the country's rail network had been electrified by 2014 making it impossible to think of a fast-running train. “The all-around work to transform the railways began after 2014”, the Prime Minister said.  He underlined that the work to implement the dream of the country's first high-speed train began in full swing while also preparing the whole network for semi-high-speed trains. The Prime Minister informed that 600 km of rail lines were electrified every year o­n an average before 2014 whereas 6 thousand kilometers of railway lines are being electrified every year today. “Today, more than 90 percent of the country's railway network has been electrified. In Uttarakhand, 100 percent electrification of the entire rail network has been achieved”, the Prime Minister informed.

The Prime Minister credited the development work to the right intention, policy and dedication. Underlining that the boost in the railway budget in comparison to 2014 has directly benefited Uttarakhand, the Prime Minister informed that 5 years before 2014, the average budget for the state was less than Rs 200 crore whereas today the rail budget is 5 thousand crore rupees, a 25 fold increase. The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of connectivity in a hilly state where people from the villages migrated due to a lack of connectivity and underlined that the Government wants to prevent that suffering for the coming generations. He also noted that modern connectivity will also be of great use in easy access to our borders and the soldiers defending the nation should not be inconvenienced in any way.

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister said that the double-engine government is committed to the development of Uttarakhand where the rapid development of Uttarakhand will also help in the rapid development of India. “The country is not going to stop now, the country has now caught its pace. The whole country is moving ahead at the speed of Vande Bharat and will continue to move ahead”, the Prime Minister concluded.

Background

This will be the first Vande Bharat to be introduced in Uttarakhand. With world-class amenities, it will herald a new era of comfortable travel experiences, especially for tourists traveling to the state. The train has been indigenously and is equipped with advanced safety features including the Kavach technology. The new Vande Bharat Express will cover the distance between Dehradun to Delhi in 4.5 hours.

Guided by the vision of the Prime Minister of providing cleaner means of public transport, Indian Railways is o­n a quest to completely electrify rail routes in the country. Moving ahead in this direction, the Prime Minster dedicated the newly electrified rail line sections in Uttarakhand. With this, the state will have its entire rail route 100% electrified. Trains run by electric traction o­n the electrified sections will result in an increase in the speed of trains and enhance haulage capacity.