On Saturday (November 8) morning, a historic moment was witnessed at Varanasi Railway Station when Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Vande Bharat Express running from Banaras to Khajuraho. As soon as the train moved ahead from Platform Number 8, the station premises echoed with chants of Har-Har Mahadev. People raised their hands to greet the Prime Minister. More than 400 passengers travelled on this eight-coach inaugural special train on the very first day. The train departed from Banaras at 8:41 AM and will reach Khajuraho at 4:30 PM.
This was the first time the Prime Minister physically flagged off a train from Varanasi Railway Station. PM Modi reached the platform at 8:16 AM, and within a few minutes, the train was dispatched. Along with this, he inaugurated four new Vande Bharat Express trains—Banaras–Khajuraho, Lucknow–Saharanpur, Firozpur–Delhi and Ernakulam–Bengaluru—through both online and offline modes.
Eighth Vande Bharat running from Varanasi
A total of eight Vande Bharat Express trains are now operating from Banaras, with the Varanasi–Khajuraho route being the newest addition. Apart from this, Vande Bharat trains already run on routes such as Varanasi–New Delhi, Varanasi–Deoghar, Varanasi–Meerut, Varanasi–Ranchi, and Varanasi–Agra Cantt, among others. This continues to strengthen Kashi’s connectivity.
Pankaj Kumar Singh, CPRO of North Eastern Railway, Gorakhpur, said that the new Vande Bharat trains will not only reduce travel time but also enhance regional mobility. Tourism, trade, and employment opportunities will also grow.
Special features of the four new Vande Bharat trains
Banaras–Khajuraho Vande Bharat:
This train connects major religious and cultural destinations of North India—Varanasi, Prayagraj, Chitrakoot, and Khajuraho—with a fast and comfortable journey. It will save almost 2 hours and 40 minutes compared to existingspecial trains. Access to the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Khajuraho will also become more convenient.
Lucknow–Saharanpur Vande Bharat:
This train will complete the journey in about 7 hours 45 minutes, saving around 1 hour. Passengers from Lucknow, Sitapur, Shahjahanpur, Bareilly, Moradabad, Bijnor, and Saharanpur will benefit. Connectivity to Haridwar via Roorkee will also improve. According to Railways, this service will strengthen fast urban transport in central and western Uttar Pradesh.
Firozpur–Delhi Vande Bharat:
This train will strengthen connectivity between Delhi and key cities of Punjab—Firozpur, Bathinda, and Patiala.Completing the journey in 6 hours 40 minutes, it will become the fastest train on this route. It will accelerate trade and socio-economic development in the border regions.
150th anniversary of ‘Vande Mataram’: CM Yogi stresses civic duty
At a programme held in Lucknow, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urged citizens to fulfil their duties towards the nation on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram. He said that Vande Mataram is not merely a song but a sacred symbol of India’s unity, culture, and sense of duty. Written in 1875 by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, this song guided the freedom movement and filled revolutionaries with resolve.
CM Yogi said that this song does not belong to any particular community or sect but expresses the spirit of the entire nation. He gave examples, saying that a teacher imparting values to students, a soldier guarding borders, and a farmer producing food—these all represent the true spirit of Vande Mataram.
The Chief Minister also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message on civic duties delivered on Constitution Day. He said that rights and duties go hand in hand, and citizens fulfilling their duties secure the future of coming generations.
The historical journey of ‘Vande Mataram’
After being written in Anandamath in 1875, Vande Mataram soon became the slogan of the freedom struggle. Rabindranath Tagore sang it at the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress. Though the British government imposed restrictions on it several times, its popularity and impact did not diminish. On January 24 1950, the Constituent Assembly declared it India’s national song.
The inauguration of four new Vande Bharat trains by PM Modi and the civic-duty message delivered on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram—both events give fresh energy to the nation’s progress, connectivity, and national consciousness. Varanasi and many other states will benefit from fast, safe, and modern travel through these trains, whilethe message of Vande Mataram will continue to inspire citizens to play an active role in nation-building.
