Prime Minister Modi along with with Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and others in Bengaluru on Friday.
BELAGAVI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off a new Vande Bharat Express connecting Karnataka and Goa, giving a major boost to rail connectivity between the two neighbouring states and offering coastal passengers a faster and more comfortable travel option.
The train was flagged off as part of a series of development initiatives worth over Rs 15,600 crore inaugurated, dedicated to the nation and launched by the Prime Minister in Bengaluru on Friday.
Addressing the gathering, Modi said Karnataka had received its first-ever Vande Bharat Sleeper train just a few days ago and was now being gifted another Vande Bharat service connecting the state with Goa.
He said passengers along the Karnataka coast, particularly those travelling to and from Mangaluru, would benefit from the new semi-high-speed train service.
The new semi-high-speed train, which will connect Goa with Karnataka’s coastal region, including Mangaluru, is expected to strengthen passenger connectivity, promote tourism and facilitate travel between important destinations along the western coast.
The launch is particularly significant for Goa, which shares strong social, cultural, tourism and economic links with coastal Karnataka. The service is also likely to provide an additional travel option for people commuting between Goa and the coastal districts of Karnataka.
Emphasising the Centre’s focus on modernising Indian Railways, Modi said the network was moving beyond its colonial-era legacy, with Vande Bharat trains and upgraded Amrit Bharat stations reflecting a new identity for the country’s railway infrastructure. Pointing out that India’s railway budget has grown manifold over the past 10 to 12 years with a ninefold increase in Karnataka’s allocation, the Prime Minister noted that the state received four Amrit stations and two doubling and electrification projects.
Apart from the railway initiatives, the Prime Minister inaugurated the new Pink Line of Bengaluru Metro and highlighted that Namma Metro’s network had crossed 100 km, making Bengaluru the third city in the country after Delhi-NCR and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region to achieve the milestone.
