PM Modi flags off Vande Bharat Express between Puri-Howrah

Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday flagged off the Vande Bharat Express between Puri and Howrah.
Modi also laid the foundation stone and dedicate several railway projects worth more than Rs. 8000 crores in Odisha via video conferencing.
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 Vande Bharat Express between will pass through Khordha, Cuttack, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore districts in Odisha and Paschim Medinipur, Purba Medinipur districts in West Bengal.
The train will provide faster, comfortable and convenient travel experience to the rail users, boost tourism and promote economic development in the region.
The railway projects being launched in Odisha will significantly boost connectivity and enhance ease of travel for the citizens, said the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of redevelopment of Puri and Cuttack railway stations.
He also dedicated 100% electrification of the rail network in Odisha.
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 new broad-gauge line between Bichhupali-Jhartarbha.
“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.
While addressing flagging off event of Vande Bharat train in Puri, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said Vande Metro would be launced in Puri-Bhubaneswar-Cuttack route.
Vande Sleeper will be introduced and subsequently Vande Metro will be launched, he informed.