15 JAN ,Delhi: Namaskar! Telangana Governor Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan ji, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw ji, Union Tourism Minister G. Kishan Reddy ji, Telangana Ministers Mohammed Mahmood Ali Garu and T. Srinivas Yadav, my colleagues in Parliament and my friends Bandi Sanjay Garu and K. Laxman Garu, all other dignitaries, ladies and gentlemen!
Namaskaram!
In this festive atmosphere, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are getting a grand gift today. In a way, Vande Bharat Express is going to connect the shared culture and heritage of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. I congratulate the people of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, especially the middle class, lower middle class and upper middle class people, of these states for the Vande Bharat train.
Friends,
Today is also Army Day. Every Indian is proud of his army. The contribution and bravery of the Indian Army in the defence of the country, in protecting the borders of the country, is incomparable. I congratulate all the soldiers, ex-servicemen and their families.
Friends,
The gaiety associated with Pongal, Magh Bihu, Makar Sankranti and Uttarayan festivals is visible everywhere. Like the major occasions and festivals connect the country from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Attock to Cuttack, similarly Vande Bharat train also provides opportunity to understand, know and connect various parts of the country in the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’. The Vande Bharat Express train also connects our shared culture and faith as a nation. This new train will connect cities like Hyderabad, Warangal, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam. Many important places related to faith and tourism fall in this route. Therefore, devotees and tourists will also be greatly benefited by Vande Bharat Express. The travel time between Secunderabad and Visakhapatnam will also be reduced by this train.