Varanasi, Oct 31 Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said the new Vande Bharat Sleeper train will reduce travel time between Varanasi and Delhi from 13-14 hours to just 8-9 hours, while affordable MEMU services will make travel easier for residents, pilgrims, students and litigants.
Speaking before flagging off the new Vande Bharat Sleeper Express services between Varanasi and New Delhi, Adityanath said the initiatives would strengthen connectivity between two major spiritual and cultural centres while saving passengers time and effort.
Recalling that Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the country’s first Vande Bharat train on the Delhi-Varanasi route on February 15, 2019, he said passengers earlier had to travel in chair-car coaches, but the introduction of the sleeper version marked another milestone in railway connectivity.
“Connecting Kashi, India’s spiritual capital, to the national capital, Delhi, will be pleasant and auspicious,” he said.
Highlighting the launch of MEMU services, Adityanath said a train service extending up to Rajatalab in Varanasi would provide greater convenience to local residents, including farmers, youth, advocates, traders and other sections of society.
He said passengers could travel throughout the month for just Rs 95 through the monthly pass facility.
A MEMU service was also being introduced between Kashi and Prayagraj, two important spiritual and cultural centres, with a monthly pass costing only Rs 220, he said.
The chief minister said the monthly travel expenses were lower than what an individual might spend on tea, snacks and personal expenses in a single day.
Describing the initiative as an innovative step towards connecting two spiritual cities, he said it would benefit millions of pilgrims, litigants, advocates and students.
Referring to the challenges posed by unmanned railway level crossings in the past, Adityanath said collisions involving trains, freight trains and road vehicles had frequently resulted in the loss of hundreds of lives, while animals were also often hit.
“Today, however, every such crossing has been replaced by an underpass or a railway overbridge. This measure reflects a deep sense of concern for the public and has also led to significant savings in travel time,” he said.
He also highlighted the expansion of freight infrastructure in the state, saying a 1,000-km section of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor now passed through Uttar Pradesh, providing a separate track exclusively for freight trains.
Earlier, freight trains travelling from Kolkata to Kashi often took several days to reach their destination, resulting in the spoilage of goods and raw materials. With the dedicated corridor, goods were now reaching safely and on time, he said.
The dedicated freight tracks had also helped increase the speed of passenger and freight trains and reduce travel time, he added.
Adityanath said the expansion of railway infrastructure had been accompanied by improvements in cleanliness and passenger amenities. Unmanned level crossings had been replaced, single-line sections upgraded to double lines and modern facilities introduced across the railway network, he said.
Taking a swipe at previous governments, he said those accustomed to living in unhygienic conditions had fostered an environment of filth and neither valued nor prioritised development.
“The impact of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is now visible everywhere. Previously, railway tracks were often plagued by filth and foul odours. Today, railway stations and coaches are equipped with modern toilets, and the tracks remain clean. Cleanliness is now prioritised everywhere,” he said.
The chief minister asserted that his government had the clear intent, well-defined policies and vision to drive development with determination.
Outlining the transformation of Kashi, he said the city had witnessed the introduction of modern amenities, new railway connectivity, improved services, better roads and expansion of the airport.
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya joined the flag-off event virtually from Prayagraj.
After flagging off the train along with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Adityanath spoke to journalists and highlighted the features of the new Vande Bharat Sleeper train.
He said the train comprised 16 coaches and could accommodate 823 passengers at a time.
The chief minister also thanked Prime Minister Modi for approving the plan to introduce North India’s first bullet train service connecting Delhi and Varanasi, saying it would further reduce travel time between the two cities.
Referring to the MEMU service between Kashi and Prayagraj, he said it would particularly benefit devotees, lawyers and litigants who earlier faced difficulties travelling to Prayagraj, where the Allahabad High Court is located.
The MEMU service between Varanasi and Rajatalab would cater to the travel needs of different sections of society, he said, adding that the facilities had been introduced ahead of Diwali at the initiative of Modi, who represents Kashi in Parliament.
Adityanath said the launch was not merely a formal inauguration of train services but a modern initiative combining scale with skill, with improved passenger amenities ensuring savings in both time and effort.
He said the Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors had provided separate tracks for freight trains, which earlier moved at a sluggish pace, while railway infrastructure across the country was being expanded to meet contemporary requirements.
The new services and infrastructure initiatives were a festive gift to the people ahead of Diwali and Chhath, he added.
(PTI News)
