New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today flagged off the first Vande Bharat Express train of Odisha between Puri and Howrah through video conferencing

Union Minister of Railways Aswini Vaishnav, Odisha Governor Prof Ganeshi Lal,  Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik  and Education and Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan were among the dignitaries present.

In his address, Prime Minister said, "India's speed and progress can be seen whenever a Vande Bharat Train runs from one place to another," This pace can now be seen in the states of Odisha and West Bengal." PM siad that this will entirely change the meaning of development along with the experience of travelling for the passengers.

The PM noted that the trip duration would now only be six and a half hours, whether it was for darshan from Kolkata to Puri or the other way around. This would save time, encourage business, and provide the youth new chances.

The doubling of rail lines in the area and the dedication of 100% electrification of rail lines in Odisha were all mentioned by the Prime Minister as examples of other railway development projects whose foundation stones were laid today. He also noted that the railway is the first option and priority for any citizen who wishes to travel abroad.

The Prime Minister underlined the need to reinforce the nation's unity and integrity, saying that if the nation stays completely united, the country's collective potential can achieve their peak. He made reference to the era of Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal in doing so.  He said that the Vande Bharat Express is an illustration of this belief, serving as the nation's development engine and advancing the idea of "Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat."

"Everyone is connected and woven together in a thread by the Indian Railway, and the Vande Bharat Express will go with the same idea and thought. He said, the railway will improve the spiritual and cultural ties that bind Puri and Howrah.
The prime minister announced that fifteen Vande Bharat trains are currently operating in a number of states, boosting the national economy. India has recently kept up its rate of progress amid incredibly challenging conditions. The PM  acknowledged the contribution of each state to this endeavour and asserted that the nation is progressing while enlisting the support of every state.

In contrast to former eras, "New India" is developing its own technology and bringing it to every part of the nation. In reference to the indigenous origins of Vande Bharat Trains, PM Modi remarked, "During the epidemic, India developed technology such as 5G and vaccinations. He emphasised that these improvements were adopted equally across the nation and never restricted to a single state or city. He further claimed that Vande Bharat is reaching every part of the nation.

"States that fell behind in development gain from this Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas policy. In Odisha, the budget for railway projects has increased dramatically. Only 20 km of railway lines were built in the state each year in the ten years prior to 2014, but in 2022–2023, 120 km of lines were built in just one year. The Haridaspur-Paradip line and other long-delayed projects, including the Khurda Bolangir line, are being finished quickly, said PM Modi.

The Prime Minister said that Odisha is one of the states in the nation where 100% electrification of train lines has been accomplished while announcing that work is moving quickly to accomplish the same achievement in West Bengal. This has led to an overall rise in train speed as well as time savings for goods trains, he said.

He pointed out that the electrification of rail lines, where pollution from diesel engines will be drastically reduced and help in the industrial development of the state, will tremendously benefit the mineral-rich state of Odisha.

The Prime Minister also discussed a another, less-discussed component of infrastructure development. Infrastructure, according to him, not only simplifies people's lives but also strengthens society. "When there is a shortage of infrastructure, human growth suffers. The rapid development of the populace occurs at the same time as infrastructural development, the PM said.

The prime minister emphasised the development measures and cited the PM Saubhagya Yojana as an example, where the government has given free electricity connections to over 2.5 crore people, including nearly 25 lakh dwellings in Odisha and 7.25 lakh houses in West Bengal.

Informing that the number of airports in India increased from 75 to 150 today, he drew attention to the various photographs and videos on social media where ordinary citizens of the country can be seen sharing their air travel experience.  He said that India's achievements in the field of infrastructure are the subject of studies today.

"When 10 lakh crores are allocated for infrastructure, that creates lakhs of jobs and railway and highway connectivity goes beyond ease of travel and connects farmers with new markets, tourists with new attractions, and students with their preferred colleges," the PM added. He said, the country is moving with the spirit of 'Jan Seva hi Prabhu Seva' - Service of people is the service of god.

He noted holy sites like Puri and temples like Jagannath where lakhs of hungry people are fed and Prasad has been distributed for ages. Initiatives like the PM Garib Kalyan Scheme, which provides free food to 80 crore people, and programmes like the Ayushman Card, Ujwalla, Jal Jeevan Mission, and PM Awas Yojana were reported to be carried out in the same spirit.

The Prime Minister emphasised the nation's goal that no state should fall behind in the race of progress owing to a lack of resources by saying, "Balanced development of the states is equally necessary for the rapid development of India. Today the underprivileged are receiving all those essential facilities for which they have been waiting for years, he said.