Varanasi: Infrastructure is key to a nation’s economic growth, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while flagging off four Vande Bharat trains from the Banaras railway station on Saturday.
The Prime Minister also spoke on how spiritual tourism has ushered in development in Uttar Pradesh, with devotees visiting pilgrimage sites contributing thousands of crores of rupees to the state’s economy.
“In developed countries across the world, the biggest reason for economic growth has been their infrastructure. In every nation that has achieved major progress, the driving force behind it has been infrastructure development,” PM Modi said.
“Infrastructure is not just about big bridges and highways. Whenever such systems are developed anywhere, it sparks the overall development of that region,” he added.
The Prime Minister said that the running of a large number of Vande Bharat trains and the arrival of more flights from across the world has helped in the growth of the nation.
“Trains like Vande Bharat, Namo Bharat and Amrit Bharat are laying the foundation of a new generation of Indian Railways. Vande Bharat is a train of Indians, built by Indians for Indians, of which every Indian is proud,” he said.
Even foreign travellers are amazed by Vande Bharat. Today, India has launched a campaign to improve its resources for a developed India and these trains are going to be a milestone in that, Modi added.
More than 160 Vande Bharat trains are now operating across the country, the PM said after flagging-off the four new ones from Banaras.
“In our country, pilgrimage has for centuries been considered a medium of national consciousness. These journeys are not merely routes for darshan of deities, but a sacred tradition that connects the soul of India,” Modi said.
“Places like Prayagraj, Ayodhya, Haridwar, Chitrakoot and Kurukshetra are the centres of our spiritual beliefs,” he said.
As these sacred destinations get connected through the Vande Bharat network, it is also linking India’s culture, faith and development. This is an important step towards making symbols of India’s heritage a representation of national growth, the Prime Minister said.
“These journeys also have an economic aspect, which is often not discussed. Over the past 11 years, the development work done in Uttar Pradesh has elevated pilgrimage tourism to a new level,” he said.
“Last year, more than 11 crore devotees came to Kashi for Baba Vishwanath’s darshan, and since the construction of the Ram Temple, over 6 crore people have visited Ayodhya to seek the blessings of Ram Lalla. These devotees have contributed thousands of crores of rupees to Uttar Pradesh’s economy and provided steady income to hotel owners, transport operators, local artists and boatmen,” Modi said.
According to him, this has created new opportunities for the youth.
“Hundreds of young people in Varanasi are now starting new ventures, from transport to local businesses. Because of all this, the doors of prosperity are opening in Kashi and across Uttar Pradesh,” the PM said.
To realise the dream of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India) from a ‘Viksit Kashi’, numerous infrastructure projects are being undertaken, he said.
Kashi is experiencing continuous expansion, development and qualitative improvement today with facilities ranging from good hospitals, good roads, gas pipelines, and internet connectivity, Modi said.
Work on the ropeway is progressing rapidly, he said.
“Our effort is to make visiting Varanasi, staying in Varanasi and enjoying the amenities of Varanasi a special experience for everyone,” the PM added.
Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath also attended the event.
The new Vande Bharat Express trains will operate on Banaras-Khajuraho, Lucknow-Saharanpur, Firozpur-Delhi and Ernakulam-Bengaluru routes.
