Soon after performing the last rites of his mother, Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined the flagging-off ceremony of the Vande Bharat express in West Bengal through video conferencing. PM Modi apologized to the people of Bengal for not being able to attend the program in person on 30th December 2022.
Railway and metro projects being launched in West Bengal will improve connectivity and further ‘Ease of Living’ for the people. https://t.co/Z0Hec08qh5
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 30, 2022
West Bengal’s first Vande Bharat express was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi through video conferencing. The train runs between Howrah and New Jalpaiguri Station. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to attend the program in West Bengal but he had to go to Ahmedabad to attend the last rites of his mother Heeraben who passed away early in the morning.
The new Vande Bharat express train departs Howrah at 6 am and reaches New Jalpaiguri station at 1:30 pm. The return journey, which starts after a stoppage of 1 hr, departs the north Bengal station at 2:30 pm and reaches Howrah at 10 pm. PM Modi also inaugurated the Joka-Taratala stretch of the Purple Line of the Kolkata Metro through video conferencing. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee was present at the event.
PM Modi inaugurates the Joka-Taratala stretch of the Purple Line of the Kolkata Metro through video conferencing. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee is present at the event.
— ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2022
(Source: DD) pic.twitter.com/Q3wlmx7zFu
PM Modi during his address through video conferencing said, “I was supposed to come to West Bengal but due to personal reasons, I could not come there. I seek apologies from the people of Bengal.”
I was supposed to come to West Bengal but due to personal reasons, I could not come there. I seek apologies from the people of Bengal: PM Modi during the inauguration event of Railway projects that was attended by him virtually pic.twitter.com/FGtzYenzUH
— ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2022
He added, “Central govt is making record investment to modernize Indian Railways. Now modern trains like Vande Bharat express, Tejas express, and Humsafar express are being made in India. In the next 8 yrs, we’ll see railways on a new journey of modernization.”
Central govt is making record investment to modernise Indian Railways. Now modern trains like Vande Bharat express, Tejas express, Humsafar express are being made in India. In next 8 yrs, we’ll see railways on a new journey of modernisation: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/4dt2l0k6gD
— ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2022
PM Narendra Modi said, “It is my pleasure to dedicate the Vande Bharat train to the land that gave birth to the slogan Vande Mataram. Today is 30th December. This date also carries its historic importance. On 30th December 1943, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose waved the Tricolor at Andaman and Nicobar islands and marked the beginning of India’s independence. I visited Andaman in 2018 on the 75th anniversary of this incident. Now, as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of our independence, we have pledged to dedicate 475 Vande Bharat express trains to the nation and one of them is running between Howrah and New Jalpaiguri station starting today.”
PM Modi also informed about many other projects in West Bengal that he is going to inaugurate. He also informed about various projects regarding the cleaning of the river Ganga, modernization of trains, and electrification of the rail tracks.
Earlier, Heeraben, the mother of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, passed away at the age of 100 years on 30th December 2022. Heeraben was born on June 18, 1923, in Vadnagar, district Mehsana, Gujarat. She belongs to the Modh-Ghanchi community, and her husband, Damodardas Mulchand Modi, was a tea seller.
Heeraben is survived by five sons, Soma Modi, Pankaj Modi, Amrit Modi, Prahlad Modi, and Narendra Modi, and a daughter Vasantiben Hasmukhlal Modi. Prior to her husband’s death, she used to live in the family’s ancestral home in Vadnagar. Later, she shifted to Pankaj Modi’s home. PM Modi attended the last rites of his mother in Ahmedabad and immediately resumed his duties which displays his commitment to the nation.
