PM to visit Varanasi on Sunday
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting his parliamentary constituency Varanasi on Sunday to flag off Mahakaal Express linking three ‘Jyotirling’ pilgrim centres and launch several development projects there, the Prime Minister’s Office said on Friday.
On his one-day visit to Varanasi, the Prime Minister will flag off the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation’s (IRCTC) Mahakaal Express through video link. The train will connect three ‘jyotirling’ pilgrim centres — Varanasi, Ujjain and Omkareshwar.
This would be the first overnight journey by a private train in the country.
Modi’s visit to Varanasi came at a time when Delhi Chief Minister-elect Arvind Kejriwal has invited him to his swearing-in in capital’s Ramlila Maidan on Sunday.
Kejriwal will take oath as Delhi Chief Minister for the third consecutive time, along with his cabinet at 10 a.m. as his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) bagged 62 of 70 seats in the recently concluded Delhi Assembly elections.
In his visit to Varanasi, Modi is also scheduled to participate in the closing ceremony of the centenary celebrations of Jagadguru Vishwaradhya Gurukul and also be releasing the translated version of the Siddhant Shikhamani Granth in 19 languages and its mobile app.
Modi will also dedicate to the nation the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Memorial Centre. About 30 Odisha craftsmen and artists worked on the project over the last year. At the event the Prime Minister will unveil the 63-ft Pancha Loha Statue of Pt Deendayal Upadhyaya — the largest statue of the leader in the country. Over 200 artisans have worked round-the-clock for the last one year to complete the statue.
At a public function, Modi will dedicate to the nation over 30 projects that include a 430-bed super speciality government hospital at Kashi Hindu Vishwavidyalaya (BHU) and a 74-bed psychiatry hospital at BHU.
Modi will inaugurate ‘Kashi Ek Roop Anek’ — a two-day event at Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Hastakala Sankul. It will showcase products from all over Uttar Pradesh. The the Prime Minister will interact with buyers and artisans coming from different countries of the world.