Prime Minister Narendra Modi today flagged off eight trains connecting different regions of the country to the Statue of Unity in Kevadiya. Trains, inaugurated via video-conferencing, will facilitate seamless connectivity to Kevadia from Varanasi, Dadar, Ahmedabad, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Rewa, Chennai and Pratapnagar. “The improved connectivity to Kevadiya will not only be beneficial for tourists coming to see the Statue of Unity but also help in changing the lives of the tribal community,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
PM Modi said that it is probably for the first time in the history of railways that so many trains have been flagged for the same place from different corners of the country. He said now more tourists coming to see the Statue of Unity than the Statue of Liberty.
“The identity of Kevadiya is from the world’s tallest statue of Sardar Patel, who gave the mantra of one nation, best nation (Ek Bharat-Shreshtha Bharat)… After the inauguration, nearly 50 lakh people have come to see the Statue of Unity,” he added.
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The Ahmedabad-Kevadia Jan Shatabdi Express, one of the eight trains flagged by PM Modi today, will have Vistadome coaches.
What are Vistadome coaches?
The Vistadome coaches run mostly in tourist locations. So far, some of the routes where these coaches are being operated by the Indian Railways are Kashmir Valley, Darjeeling, Kalka. These coaches have large glass windows, glass roof and seats for passengers. The seats can rotate up to 180 degrees so that it can face the direction of the train movement.
PM Modi said on Saturday that the Kevadiya railway station is India’s first with green building certification.
PM Modi also inaugurated the DabhoiChandod converted broad gauge railway line, ChandodKevadia new broad gauge rail line, newly electrified PratapnagarKevadia section and the new station buildings of Dabhoi, Chandod and Kevadia.
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Union Railways Minister Piyush Goyal were also present on the occasion.
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Details of 8 trains flagged by PM Modi
1 (09103/04) Mahamana Express from Kevadiya to Varanasi (Weekly)
2 (02927/28) Dadar Kevadia Express from Dadar to Kevadiya (Daily)
3 (09247/48) Janshatabdi Express from Ahmedabad to Kevadiya (Daily)
4 (09145/46) Nizamuddin Kevadia Sampark Kranti Express from Kevadiya to H. Nizamuddin (Bi-Weekly).
5 (09105/06) Kevadia Rewa Express from Kevadiya to Rewa (Weekly)
6 (09119/20) Chennai Kevadia Express from Chennai to Kevadiya (Weekly)
7 (09107/08) MEMU train from Pratapnagar to Kevadiya (Daily)
8 (09109/10) MEMU train from Kevadiya to Pratapnagar (Daily)
PM Modi had launched a seaplane service between the Statue of Unity and Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad in October 2020.
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