Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reached his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi for a two-day visit from Friday. The major highlight of this visit is flagging off new Mahamana Express. He will inaugurate several other infrastructure projects and address public meetings. This train is named after former Hindu Mahasabha president Madan Mohan Malviya, who was also addressed as ‘Mahamana’.
The train will run between Varanasi to Vadodara. This is a weekly train. It will run from Varanasi on every Friday and from Vadodara on Wednesdays. This is third Mahamana train. Under the Railways’ Model Rake Project, the first train was unveiled in 2016.
The already existing Mahamana Express with plush interiors currently runs on two routes. First, Varanasi-New Delhi and second Bhopal-Khajuraho.
The train will be launched by PM Modi over video conferencing at 3:30 pm on Friday. The train will start its maiden journey from Vadodara on Friday and reach Varanasi on Saturday. Railways Minister Piyush Goyal would be present in Vadodara in Gujarat, and Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha in Surat, the officials said.
Features of this train
This new train Mahamana express will have 18 coaches but is no AC-3 tier coach in the train.
The distance of 1,531-km will be covered by train in 27 hours and 30 minutes. Under this long route, the new mahamana express will stop at Bharuch and Surat in Gujarat; Amalner and Bhusawal in Maharashtra; Itarsi, Jabalpur, Katni and Satna in Madhya Pradesh and Chheoki in Uttar Pradesh.
Talking about toilets in the train, they have platform washbasins, bigger mirrors, an odour control system, exhaust fans and dustbins.
In this new Mahamana Express, there are ergonomically designed ladders for climbing to upper berths, snack tables for side berths and windows with powered venetian blinds and roller blinds.
Other features are LED lights as berth indicators, LED reading lights, fire extinguishers in all coaches and an electrically operated chimney in the pantry car.
Other projects to be inaugurated
The projects to be inaugurated include Utkarsh Bank, which specialises in micro finance, Jal Ambulance service and Jal Shav Vahan service which Narendra Modi confirmed through his tweet.
Inauguration of Deendayal Hastkala Sankul will be done by him. This trade facilitation centre for handicrafts will be dedicated to the nation said PM Modi.
Releasing of postal stamp on Ramayana and distribution of certificates to beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana are other events on his list.
He will also inaugurate nearly 17 infrastructure projects and lay foundation of nearly six projects including Ramna Sewage Treatment Plant.
