PM Narendra Modi Flags off RapidX train, ‘NaMo Bharat’ from Sahibabad in Uttar Pradesh
New Delhi, October 20
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today flagged off the first RAPIDX train under India’s first Regional Rapid Transit System RRTS from Sahibabad in Uttar Pradesh. The Prime Minister also inaugurated the priority section of the RRTS corridor which will cover the distance of 17 kilometers connecting Sahibabad to ‘Duhai Depot’ with stations at Ghaziabad, Guldhar and Duhai on the way.
Mr Modi boarded the Regional Rapid Train which has been named Namo Bharat and interacted with the co-passengers who shared their experiences, including on how this train service will have a positive impact. The service for general public will be operational from tomorrow. The Prime Minister also dedicated to the nation two stretches of east west corridor of Bengaluru Metro, Baiyappanahalli to Krishnarajapura and Kengeri to Challaghatta.
Addressing a public programme in Sahibabad, Mr Modi said, today is a historic day for the entire country as India’s first rapid rail service Namo Bharat train has been dedicated to the nation. He said, Namo Bharat Train is defining the new journey and new resolutions of the new India. The Prime Minister said, Namo Bharat Trains are a glimpse of India’s promising future which has modernity, rapidity and amazing speed. He said, from the driver to all the employees in this new train are women. Mr Modi said, this is a symbol of the growing women power of India.
He said, by the end of this decade, the combination of Amrit Bharat, Vande Bharat and Namo Bharat will represent transformation of Indian Railways into a modernised system. The Prime Minister also congratulated people of Bengaluru for the new metro facility. Mr Modi said, civic amenities are receiving utmost attention in infrastructure development in the country today. He said, India of the 21st century is writing a new saga of progress in every sector and every area. The Prime Minister said, today’s India lands Chandrayaan on the moon. He said, with the fantastic organising of G20, today’s India has become the centre of attraction. Mr Modi said, today’s India won more than 100 medals in the Asian Games. He said, today’s India launched 5G on its capabilities and took it to all corners of the country. The Prime Minister said, today’s India does the highest digital transactions in the world and Namo Bharat which was launched today is also Made in India.
Mr Modi said, this is the time of festivals and happiness and Central Government has taken many important decisions so that every family in the country can celebrate these festivals. Farmers, employees and pensioner will benefit from these decisions. He said the government has increased the MSP of Rabi crops which will bring additional money for the farmers. He added that MSP of wheat which was 1,400 rupees per quintal in 2014 has now crossed two thousand rupees. Mr Modi said, Government is also working on ensuring that the farmers get the benefit of the residue left after harvesting. He said, for this, biofuel and ethanol units are being set up across the country. The Prime Minister said, today, 10 times more ethanol is being produced in the country compared to nine years ago. About 65 thousand crore rupees has gone into the pockets of the farmers from it.
In his address, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, Vande Bharat gave the nation a glimpse of new India and today the most populous state in the country is witnessing new infrastructure. He said, it is the effort of the double-engine government that today five cities of Uttar Pradesh have metro rail services and in January, metro rail services will also begin in Agra. The Chief Minister said, the construction of a ropeway service is also underway in Varanasi.
The RRTS is a state-of-the-art regional mobility solution comparable to the best in the world. In line with the Prime Minister’s vision to transform regional connectivity in the country through construction of new world class transport infrastructure, the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project is being developed. RRTS is a new rail-based, semi-high-speed, high-frequency commuter transit system. With a design speed of 180 Kilometres per hour, RRTS is a transformational, regional development initiative, which is designed to provide high-speed trains for intercity commuting every 15 minutes, which can go up to a frequency of every 5 minutes as per requirement.