India: Modi flags off luxury train, launches Bulk Drug Park to attract Rs 100 billion investment in Himachal Pradesh
Vande Bharat Express to reduce travel time between Delhi and Chandigarh to three hours
Una/Chamba: Prime Minister Narendra Modi during day-long visit to Himachal Pradesh on Thursday flagged off the high-speed luxury fourth Vande Bharat Express and laid the foundation stones of Bulk Drug Park that will attract investment of around Rs 100 billion and provide employment to more than 20,000 people from Una town.
This is the Prime Minister’s ninth visit to the state in five years and second in almost a week.
He also inaugurated the Rs 1.28 billion Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) set up in Una ahead of the Assembly polls in the BJP-ruled state.
Later in the day, the Prime Minister will also lay foundation stones for two hydropower projects of nearly Rs 7 billion and launch Rs 30 billion Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)-III in Chamba town.
Chief Minister Jairam Thakur, said the Prime Minister’s visit reflects his bonding with the state and its people.
With the launch of the Vande Bharat Express service, the travel time between Delhi and Chandigarh would be brought down to three hours from October 19. It will run six days in a week, except Friday.
The Prime Minister’s clarion call for Aatmanirbhar Bharat or self-reliant India has led to the country moving swiftly towards attainment of self-reliance across multiple sectors, through support of various new initiatives of the government.
One such key sector is pharmaceuticals, and in order to bring in Aatmanirbharta in this sector the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of Bulk Drug Park at Haroli to be built at a cost of Rs 19.23 billion.
The park will help reduce dependence on active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) or pharmaceutical raw material imports. It is expected to attract investment of around Rs 100 billion and provide employment to more than 20,000 people. It will also give a fillip to economic activities in the region.
The foundation stone of the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Una was laid by the Prime Minister in 2017. Currently, more than 530 students are pursuing study in the institute.
Running from Amb Andaura to New Delhi, the inaugural run of Vande Bharat Express will be the fourth Vande Bharat train to be introduced in the country and is an advanced version compared to the earlier ones, being much lighter and capable of reaching higher speed in shorter duration.
It accelerates to 100 km per hour in just 52 seconds. The introduction of the train will help boost tourism in the region and provide a comfortable and faster mode of travel.
Commuters of neighbouring Haryana will also benefit from the Vande Bharat Express train.
