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Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off four new Vande Bharat Express trains from Varanasi on his visit to the city. The new Vande Bharat Express trains will operate on the Banaras-Khajuraho, Lucknow-Saharanpur, Firozpur-Delhi, and Ernakulam-Bengaluru routes. This new route will boost religious and cultural tourism, providing pilgrims and travellers with a faster, more modern, and comfortable way to reach Khajuraho, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This will also reduce travel time between key stops. Vande Bharat Express Trains Will Connect These Major Routes The Banaras-Khajuraho Vande Bharat will directly connect some of India’s most revered religious and cultural destinations, including Varanasi, Prayagraj, Chitrakoot, and Khajuraho, saving 2 hours 40 minutes compared to the special trains currently in operation. The Lucknow–Saharanpur Vande Bharat Express will complete the journey in 7 hours 45 minutes, cutting travel time by nearly an hour. It will benefit passengers across central and western Uttar Pradesh, including Lucknow, Bareilly, Moradabad, and Saharanpur, while improving access to Haridwar via Roorkee, and boosting regional connectivity and development. The Firozpur–Delhi Vande Bharat Express will be the fastest train on the route, covering the distance in 6 hours 40 minutes. It will enhance links between Delhi and key Punjab cities like Firozpur, Bathinda, and Patiala, supporting trade, tourism, and employment in the border regions. In the south, the Ernakulam–Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express will cut travel time by over 2 hours, completing the trip in 8 hours 40 minutes. The train will connect major IT, commercial, and tourism hubs across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka, fostering economic growth and regional collaboration. PM Modi Addresses Rally Prime Minister Narendra Modi also addressed a rally after flagging off the trains and congratulated the city for ‘festival of development.’ “I saw the magnificent Dev Deepawali being held here and today, I congratulate you all for this festival of development. The countries that have seen economic development, infrastructure has played a massive role there,” said PM Modi. He also took to X and wrote, “Delighted to flag off four Vande Bharat trains. These will enhance connectivity and provide greater comfort for citizens.”
