PM Modi's visit comes weeks before Lok Sabha elections to two seats - Gorakhpur and Phulpur.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a visit Varanasi for the first time since the BJP's grand victory in the Uttar Pradesh elections earlier this year. The PM had camped for three days in Varanasi in March that helped in fetching the BJP 312 of the 403 seats, the biggest majority for any party in Uttar Pradesh since 1977. He will land shortly before 3 pm to start his two-day visit to the temple town to thank the electorate for their support and a bunch of infrastructure projects. The Prime Minister will also flag off the Mahamana Express Train built under the Make in India initiative. The visit comes weeks before the Lok Sabha elections to two seats - Gorakhpur and Phulpur - vacated by chief minister Yogi Adityanath and his deputy Keshav Maurya.
Here are the live updates of Prime Minister Modi's Varanasi visit:
PM Modi flags off Varanasi-Vadodra Mahamana Express
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the third Mahamana Express between Vadodra and Varanasi. There are two Mahamana Express trains in service already, each on Varanasi-New Delhi route and Bhopal-Khajuraho route. The weekly train will cover a distance of 1,531 km in 27 hours and 30 minutes.
'Dream of the poor and government is the same'
Prime Minister Modi launched a number of developmental projects in Varanasi following which he addressed a public gathering. The PM spoke about the importance of promoting handicrafts and tourism in the temple town. He also said that the poor man's dream is the government's dream and hence it will do its best to address the issues of the poor and make way for a better future.
Dream Of Poor Man Is My Government's Dream: PM Modi In Varanasi
- The textile ministry is carrying on developmental activities, I do not think this kind of progress has been witnessed in years.
- So many projects have been inaugurated in the past but none of them were completed. But Yogi Adityanath have turned whatever he had promised into a success story (handicrafts).
- It's really sad when our traders and weavers, who work so hard for their craft, do not get the recognition they deserve.
- This building on which we have invested over 300 crores is not just a building, it is going to open new doors to the future.
- I want to request the auto drivers here that whichever tourist comes to visit Varanasi should be brought here. This will promote the handicraft sector.
- I want to thank all the weavers and craftsmen who work so hard and wish them luck and progress in the future.
- If you speak to any of the poor and ask them what kind of a life have they led and if they want their children to lead a similar lifestyle, they would say that they would never want their children to face what they have faced.
- They want their children to be successful. The dream of the poor man is my government's dream.
On First Visit After UP Win, PM Narendra Modi Reaches Varanasi, Will Launch Mahamana Express: 10 Points
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Varanasi on a two-day visit, his first trip to his parliamentary constituency after the BJPs oversized victory in the Uttar Pradesh elections earlier this year. PM Modi, 67, had camped for three days in the holy city in March that helped give the BJP 312 of the 403 seats, the biggest majority for any party in Uttar Pradesh since 1977. Clutching a bunch of infrastructure projects for the temple town, PM Modi will land shortly before 3 pm to start his two-day visit to thank the electorate for their support.
PM Modi inaugurates trade facilitation centre for handicrafts Deendayal Hastkala Sankul in Bada Lalpur area of Varanasi. The handicrafts centre was completed before its scheduled date of completion.
Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other dignitaries welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Varanasi.
PM Modi arrives in Varanasi
PM Narendra Modi arrives in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi. He would be launching over 17 development projects in the temple town today. He will also flag off the third Mahamana Express service through video conferencing from Varanasi.
Prime Minster Narendra Modi, who is on a two-day visit to Varanasi, will flag off the new weekly train - Mahamana Express today. The train, with plush interiors, currently runs on two routes of Varanasi-New Delhi and Bhopal-Khajuraho. The weekly train will run from Varanasi every Friday and from Vadodara every Wednesday and will cover a 1,531-km journey between the two cities which will take 27 hours 30 minutes at an average speed of 55.7 km/hr.