NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday virtually flagged off the Vande Bharat train service between Secunderabad in Telangana and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. “Vande Bharat is a true replica of India which is coming out of the mentality of dependence and moving towards Atmanirbharta (self-reliance),” the PM said before flagging off the train.
Noting that the new trains will connect the culture of Telangana and AP, Modi said, “Vande Bharat symbolises new India’s resolution and capabilities.
"Vande Bharat is a symbol of New India’s capability and resolve. It is a symbol of India which has chosen the path of rapid development,”
Modi added. The PM said seven Vande Bharat trains have covered the distance of 23 lakh kilometres, equivalent to 58 rounds of earth. More than 40 lakh passengers have travelled in Vande Bharat trains so far, he added.
After virtually flagging off the country’s 8th new Vande Bharat train between Secunderabad in poll-bound Telangana and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday ,the PM said that 7 Vande Bharat trains so far lunged in India have covered the cumulative distance of 23 lakh kms ferrying over 40 lakh passengers. The PM said that many railway stations reflect the image of modern India. “Work done in the last seven to eight years will transform the Indian Railways in the coming seven to eight years,” he said.
Prior to 2014, Telangana had a budget of less than `250 crore for the Railways which has now increased to more than `3,000 crore. This train will be the eighth Vande Bharat Express to be introduced by Indian Railways and will be the first one connecting the two Telugu-speaking states. It will cover a distance of around 700 km between Secunderabad and Visakhapatnam in eight-and-a-half hours. “This Vande Bharat Express symbolises that India expects everything to be the best. This Vande Bharat Express symbolises India which wants to give better services to every citizen of its country,” he said.