Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday virtually flagged off six Vande Bharat Express trains, set to operate across key routes in Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh. The event, originally planned to take place at Tatanagar Railway Station, was moved online after poor visibility and inclement weather prevented the Prime Minister’s helicopter from taking off.
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar were present at Tatanagar station for the ceremony.
Expanded Connectivity and Industry Boost
The newly introduced trains will run on the Tatanagar-Patna, Brahmapur-Tatanagar, Rourkela-Howrah, Deoghar-Varanasi, Bhagalpur-Howrah, and Gaya-Howrah routes. The Prime Minister’s Office stated that the trains are expected to significantly enhance connectivity for regular commuters, business travelers, professionals, and students.
In addition to faster travel times, these Vande Bharat Express trains will promote religious tourism by providing more efficient transportation to pilgrimage sites, including Baidyanath Dham in Deoghar, Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, and Kalighat and Belur Math in Kolkata.
The initiative is also expected to boost key industries across the region. Coal and mines sectors in Dhanbad, the jute industry in Kolkata, and the iron and steel sectors in Durgapur are anticipated to benefit from improved transportation infrastructure, according to the official statement.