Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the world's first electric engine converted from diesel loco by the Diesel Locomotives Works (DLW) on Tuesday in his constituency Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
PM Modi visited Varanasi to gift several projects worth crores of rupees ahead of the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
After landing in Varanasi, PM Modi reached DLW and flagged off the electric locomotive. He also inspected the engine from inside.
PM Shri @narendramodi flags off World's first Diesel to Electric Locomotive Engine by DLW in Varanasi, UP. #BadalRahiHaiKashi pic.twitter.com/FGofeQ3NLi
— BJP (@BJP4India) February 19, 2019
Modi was received at the Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport by Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Mahendra Nath Pandey and other senior officials.
After the flag-off from the DLW campus, he also interacted with differently abled persons.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to spend around six hours in Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency, during which he will launch projects worth Rs 3,300 crore.
The prime minister will also visit the Sant Ravidas Temple to participate in the birth anniversary celebrations of the mystic poet of the Bhakti Movement and attend several other programmes besides laying the foundation stone of projects worth several hundred crores.
He will also address a public meeting later in the day.
This is Modi's 17th visit to the temple town after becoming its representative in 2014.
The project was sanctioned at the end of 2017 when Railways took the decision to go for 100 per cent electric traction. Railways ministry has given sanction to convert 108 locos in one year.
Last year on September 18, PM Modi launched various development projects worth over Rs 550 crore in Varanasi.
The projects inaugurated include Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) for Puraani Kashi and Atal Incubation Centre at Banaras Hindu University (BHU).
