Prime Minister Narendra Modi is inaugurating the “made in India” Mahanama Express on Friday during his two-day trip to his Lok Sabha constituency, Varanasi, as per media reports. The direct train service will connect Varanasi with Surat and Vadodara, reported PTI. Varanasi and Vadodara are the two constituencies Modi won in the 2014 general elections.
The train is named after former Hindu Mahasabha president Madan Mohan Malviya, who had earned the moniker 'Mahamana'.
PM Modi tweeted about the same on Thursday night:
During the launch, Railways Minister Piyush Goyal will be in Vadodara. The Mahanama Express’ first rake was launched by the Modi government in 2016 as part of the Railways' Model Rake Project, reported Business Standard.
Vadodara-based firm Hindustan Fibre Glass has designed the 18 coaches of the train. The train will stop at junctions across four states:
- Gujarat: Bharuch and Surat
- Maharashtra: Amalner and Bhusawal
- Madhya Pradesh: Itarsi, Jabalpur, Katni and Satna
- Uttar Pradesh: Chheoki
The Mahanama Express is expected to cover a distance of 1,531 km between Vadodara and Varanasi in 27 hours and 30 minutes, reported Business Standard.
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