India moving fast on path of development: PM

Varanasi, Nov 08: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said infrastructure is a major factor in the economic growth of developed countries around the world, and India is also moving fast on the path of development.

The PM was speaking after flagging off four new Vande Bharat Express trains from the Banaras railway station in Varanasi, his Lok Sabha constituency.

"Trains like Vande Bharat, Namo Bharat and Amrit Bharat are laying the foundation of a new generation of Indian Railways," Modi said.

He said pilgrimage sites are the centres of spirituality and the development work done in Uttar Pradesh in the last 11 years has taken them to a new level.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also attended the event.

The new Vande Bharat Express trains will operate on the Banaras-Khajuraho, Lucknow-Saharanpur, Firozpur-Delhi and Ernakulam-Bengaluru routes.

The semi-high-speed trains will significantly reduce travel time between major stations, enhance regional mobility, promote tourism and support economic activity across the country, according to an official statement.