Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said ‘Rapid Rail’ is an excellent mode of public transport that will significantly reduce the travel time between Delhi and Meerut.
“Previously, Meerut was connected to a 12-lane express highway. A journey that used to take four-and-a-half hours can now be covered in just 45 minutes,” he said.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off India’s first ‘Namo Bharat Train’ (RapidX) and inaugurated the country’s first Regional Rapid Transit System in Ghaziabad on Friday.
Adityanath, who was also present at the event, said, “What was once a dream has now become a reality because ‘Modi hai toh Mumkin hai’. The entire country and Uttar Pradesh are witnessing the fulfillment of this dream.”
“On behalf of the 25 crore people of the state, we are thankful and delighted to welcome the prime minister for dedicating the country’s first regional rapid transit system, Rapid Rail, to the nation just ahead of Vijayadashami, under the name ‘Namo Bharat’. This gift on the occasion of Shardiya Navratri is a blessing,” he said.
The chief minister also highlighted the remarkable infrastructure development witnessed in the country over the past 10 years, with railway stations transformed into airport-like facilities. He said the rapid revitalisation of 500 railway stations within Amrit Bharat is also taking place, adding that Vande Bharat trains represent the emergence of a new India.
He said these are the results of the double-engine government’s efforts that the metro rail system is being successfully operated in five cities of Uttar Pradesh, providing a state-of-the-art public transport system. In February, metro rail will be operated in Agra.
Adityanath added that the work of the country’s first ropeway service is going on a war footing in Baba Vishwanath’s Dham at Varanasi.
“It is as a result of this that the country has seen India grow as the fifth largest economy in the world through this state-of-the-art world-class infrastructure in its period of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav,” he said.