New Delhi: Vande Bharat trains are not only providing high-speed rail connection between the economic centres in the country but are also connecting major pilgrimage sites.
Among the 13 operational Vande Bharat Express routes, four crucial routes connect some of India’s most revered pilgrimage sites. These include rail routes to the pilgrimage sites of Varanasi in UP, Shirdi in Maharashtra, Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh.
The four crucial routes are:
1. New Delhi-Varanasi
2. New Delhi-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra,
3. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (Mumbai)-Shirdi,
4. Secunderabad-Tirupati
The newly launched Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat Express, connecting IT City, Hyderabad with the Abode of Lord Venkateswara, Tirupati, is the second Vande Bharat train to be started from Telangana within a short span of three months. The train will reduce the travel time between the two cities by almost three and a half hours and will be particularly beneficial for pilgrim passengers.
At present, Vande Bharat trains connect as many as 108 districts of 17 states.
“Vande Bharat train is a magnificent picture of today’s modern India. It is a reflection of the speed and scale of India’s growth. You can see the speed with which the country is launching Vande Bharat trains,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while flagging off two Vande Bharat trains in Mumbai last month.
Apart from connectivity to these pilgrimage sites through rail, the Narendra Modi government has also launched several road projects to ensure hassle-free journey for pilgrims visiting some of the most sacred sites in the South, such as Meenakshi Temple in Madurai, Andal Temple in Srivilliputhur and Sabarimala in Kerala.
The improved connectivity benefits the pilgrims and helps local economies by boosting trade, creating jobs, and promoting growth. It also provides necessary support to industries like hospitality, handicrafts, and food services.
