Subhechcha Ganguly 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated four new Vande Bharat Express trains from Varanasi, aimed at reducing travel time between key destinations and enhancing regional mobility, tourism, and economic growth.
The new trains will operate on the Banaras–Khajuraho, Lucknow–Saharanpur, Firozpur–Delhi, and Ernakulam–Bengaluru routes. Addressing a public gathering, PM Modi emphasised that infrastructure development plays a vital role in national progress. “Infrastructure has played an important role in the development of most nations… The development of a city begins on its own as soon as it gets better connectivity. Infrastructure is not limited to huge bridges and highways,” he said.
Highlighting India’s spiritual and cultural richness, the Prime Minister added that pilgrimages are the means of “awakening the country’s conscience.” He noted that these new trains not only connect heritage cities but also accelerate economic development.
“In the last 11 years, developmental works in Uttar Pradesh have strengthened the economy. Last year, 11 crore devotees visited Baba Vishwanath, and over 6 crore devotees had darshan of Ram Lalla — their visits have contributed thousands of crores to the state’s economy,” he remarked.
The Banaras–Khajuraho Vande Bharat Express, in particular, will link major religious and cultural hubs like Varanasi, Prayagraj, Chitrakoot, and Khajuraho, cutting travel time to just 2 hours and 40 minutes compared to existing services. The route will significantly boost pilgrimage and cultural tourism, providing better access to the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Khajuraho.
