The first Vande Bharat Express in Madhya Pradesh, the Bhopal-New Delhi Vande Bharat Express, was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today at the Rani Kamalapati stop.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “Glad to flag off Bhopal-New Delhi Vande Bharat Express. Our endeavour is to transform the railways sector and provide greater comfort for the citizens”, through his official Twitter handle.

The 11th Vande Bharat Express, which runs between Bhopal and the capital, will travel the 708 km journey in 7.45 hours.

The Prime minister said, “In the history of railways, a Prime Minister has rarely arrived again in such a short time”, adding that Vande Bharat is a symbol of new developments in India and that there is a demand for it in every part of the country.

In a jab at the opposition ‘Congress’, the prime minister claimed that while the Vande Bharat will be launched today, the grand old party will claim that Modi will execute an April Fool’s prank.

PM Modi further said, “In previous governments, they thought only one family is India’s first family and didn’t pay any attention to the needs of the middle-class families of India, Indian railways are the biggest example of this. Indian rail is the common man’s ride”.

He added that CCTVs have been installed in 900 stations and that during the past nine years, efforts have been made to make the Indian railway the best in the world. The movie Vande Bharat has gotten very popular.

According to the prime minister, rail travel is now safer, and the trains are also more reliable and hygienic.

He continued, “New employment possibilities and development would be brought about by the new Vande Bharat”.

The PM stated that Madhya Pradesh’s railways now have a budget of Rs 13,000 crore, up from the previous allocation of barely Rs 600 crore.

He stated, “I am glad that Madhya Pradesh is moving past the past and towards development”.

Before setting off the train, PM Modi, who arrived in Bhopal in the morning, attended the Combined Commanders’ Conference.

At the end of this year, Madhya Pradesh, which is governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party, will hold its legislative elections.

Modern passenger amenities are included in the Vande Bharat Express train set, which was designed locally. For rail customers, it will result in a quicker, more pleasant, and more convenient travel experience. It will also increase tourism and support regional economic growth.