Vande Bharat real pride of India, says Union Minister

Vijayawada: Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, said the year 2023 is one of the momentous years with regard to rail travel and upgradation of rail infrastructure.

She participated as the chief guest at the inauguration of Vijayawada-Chennai Vande Bharat express train at Vijayawada railway station on Sunday.

Third Vande Bharat Express from Andhra Pradesh was flagged-off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi through video conference. The train between two major southern capital cities of Vijayawada and Chennai connecting the sacred temple town Tirupati (via Renigunta) is a long-cherished dream for travelling public. Also, this is the first Vande Bharat train between Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Narendra A Patil, Divisional Railway Manager, Vijayawada Division, welcomed chief guest Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar.

Vijayawada MP Kesineni Srinivas, Vijayawada mayor Rayana Bhagyalakshmi, Central MLA Malladi Vishnu and others were present on the occasion.

Addressing the gathering, Dr Bharati said more than one crore people travelled in this indigenous semi high speed train till date. She lauded the grand vision of PM Narendra Modi to make the nation self-reliant and self-sustainable in all forms. She said Vande Bharat is the real pride of India and thanked the passengers and students and crowd, who turned up for the train

inauguration event.

She along with other dignitaries witnessed the PM’s address and flagging off ceremony. MP Kesineni Srinivas and MLA Malladi Vishnu thanked PM Modi for providing the third Vande Bharat to Andhra Pradesh.

D Srinivasa Rao, ADRM, Infrastructure, M Srikanth, ADRM, Operations and Senior Railway Officials took part in the event.