New Delhi, May 25 (Hindustan Times). Describing the double engine government of Uttarakhand as committed to development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that today the whole country is moving at the speed of Vande Bharat train and it is not going to stop now. He said that today the whole world is looking at India with great hope.
The Prime Minister on Thursday flagged off the Vande Bharat Express train from Dehradun to Delhi (Anand Vihar Terminal) through video conferencing. Earlier, he also dedicated newly electrified railway sections to the nation and declared Uttarakhand as 100 percent electric traction state.
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister, referring to his three-nation tour to Japan, Papua New Guinea and Australia, said that the world is looking at India with great expectations. He said that India has become a beacon of hope for the world when it comes to strengthening the economy and fighting poverty. He also talked about India’s handling of the Corona pandemic and the world’s largest vaccination drive in the country. The Prime Minister emphasized that global tourists want to visit India to see and understand its essence. He described it as a big opportunity for states like Uttarakhand. Modi said that Vande Bharat train is also going to help Uttarakhand to take full advantage of this opportunity.
The Prime Minister congratulated all the people of Uttarakhand for the inauguration of the Vande Bharat Express between Dehradun and Delhi and said that the train will connect the country’s capital with the Devbhoomi of Uttarakhand. He informed that the travel time between the two cities will be further reduced and the onboard facilities will provide a pleasant travel experience. The Prime Minister said that traveling by train is the first choice for those who are accompanied by their family members and Vande Bharat is slowly becoming the preferred mode of transport.
Appreciating promoting the development of the state by keeping the law and order situation strong, the Prime Minister said that the number of pilgrims in the Char Dham Yatra is continuously breaking old records. The Prime Minister said that the government’s full emphasis is on the nine gems of development, the ‘Navratnas’. He said that the first gem is the reconstruction work of Rs 1300 crore in Kedarnath-Badrinath Dham. Second, Rs 2500 crore ropeway project in Gaurikund-Kedarnath and Gobind Ghat-Hemkunt Sahib. Third, renovation of ancient temples of Kumaon under the Manas Khand Mandir Mala program. Fourth, promoting home stays across the state where more than 4000 home stays have been registered in the state. Fifth, development of 16 eco-tourism sites. Sixth, expansion of health services in Uttarakhand. AIIMS satellite center is coming up in Udham Singh Nagar. Seventh, Rs 2000 crore Tehri Lake Development Project. Eighth, development of Haridwar-Rishikesh as capital of yoga and adventure tourism and work on ninth Tanakpur-Bageshwar rail line will also start soon.
Accusing the previous governments of neglecting the railway sector, the Prime Minister said that rapid development of the country can be ensured through modernization of infrastructure. But all the previous governments were not engaged in the development of the country but in promoting corruption, scams and familyism. He said, “Previous governments only cared about dynasties. The common man was not his priority. The earlier government only made promises and never fulfilled them, but we have fulfilled all the promises. The railway sector was also neglected by them (the previous government).”
The Prime Minister pointed out that only a third of the country’s rail network was electrified by 2014, making it impossible to think of a faster train. The Prime Minister said, “All-round work to transform the Railways started after 2014”. The Prime Minister said that before 2014, on an average, 600 kilometers of railway lines were electrified every year, whereas today 6 thousand kilometers of railway lines are being electrified every year. He said that 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.
