Varanasi, 28 April (H.S.): Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unveiled a major development package for his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi, inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for 163 projects worth ₹6,332 crore on Tuesday. The event, held at the Bareka Inter‑College ground, also featured the launch of two new Amrit Bharat Express trains—Banaras–Pune (Hadapsar) and Ayodhya–Mumbai (Lokmanya Tilak Terminus)—aimed at boosting regional connectivity and pilgrim traffic.
Speaking at the public gathering, PM Modi announced that 50 projects worth ₹1,054.69 crore would be inaugurated on the spot, while 113 projects valued at ₹5,277.39 crore would receive foundation‑stone ceremonies. The scheme covers a wide spectrum: roads, water supply, healthcare facilities, urban infrastructure, tourism‑linked riverfront works and socio‑economic connectivity projects designed to modernise the temple‑town without eroding its cultural identity.
Officials say the package is part of the long‑term plan to turn Kashi into a world‑class pilgrimage and economic hub under the broader “Viksit Bharat” roadmap.
First‑ever women‑centric security and outreach
Tuesday’s ‘Jan Aakrosh Mahila Sammelan’ at Bareka drew several tens of thousands of women and was notable for its entirely women‑managed security and logistics. For the first time, women personnel handled crowd and route security, with almost all front‑line marshalls, check‑points and coordination staff drawn from women police and party cadres.
PM Modi arrived at the ground in an open‑top jeep, greeting and touching the hands of women in the gathering, visually underscoring the “Nari Shakti” narrative. On stage, a large image of the new Parliament building dominated the backdrop, and he was presented with a sculpted bust of the Indian peacock, the national bird, as a symbolic offering of Kashi’s heritage to the nation.
New Amrit Bharat Express trains for Mahakal–Mumbai and Ram Janmabhoomi‑Mumbai routes
The two new semi‑high‑speed, comfort‑focused Amrit Bharat Express trains will link Banaras with Pune (via Hadapsar) and Ayodhya with Mumbai (Lokmanya Tilak Terminus), easing pilgrim and daily‑commuter flows between Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. Official sources say these trains will eliminate the need for multiple changes and reduce travel time significantly, enhancing both religious‑tourism inflows and overall regional connectivity.
The event was attended by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Governor Anandiben Patel, BJP national president
Nitin Nabin, Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, and a host of state ministers and MPs, projecting the day as a cross‑sectoral showcase of BJP‑led development politics in the state.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
