Varanasi, Nov. 9 -- Holy sites being connected through the Vande Bharat network marks a "convergence of India's culture, faith, and development journey", Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday as he flagged off four new Vande Bharat Express trains from the Banaras railway station. The new Vande Bharat Express trains will operate on the Banaras-Khajuraho, Lucknow-Saharanpur, Firozpur-Delhi and Ernakulam-Bengaluru routes. The Banaras-Khajuraho Vande Bharat will connect prominent cultural and religious destinations, including Varanasi, Prayagraj and Chitrakoot, officials familiar with the matter said. Addressing a gathering in his parliamentary constituency, Varanasi, Modi called Prayagraj, Ayodhya, Haridwar, Chitrakoot, and Kurukshetra spiritual centres of the nation's heritage. "These holy sites are now being connected through the Vande Bharat network; it marks a convergence of India's culture, faith, and development journey. This is a significant step towards transforming heritage cities into symbols of national progress," he said. According to an official statement released by the PMO, with these four new trains, the total number of operational Vande Bharat trains in the country has now exceeded 160. The semi-high-speed trains will significantly reduce travel time between major stations, enhance regional mobility, promote tourism and support economic activity across the country, according to an official statement. Congratulating the people of Varanasi and all citizens of India on the launch of these trains, the PM said: "Trains like Vande Bharat, Namo Bharat, and Amrit Bharat are laying the foundation for the next generation of the Indian Railways.: He further described Vande Bharat as a "train made by Indians, for Indians, and of Indians-one that fills every Indian with pride". In a veiled dig at the previous governments, Modi said: "Earlier the approach was: 'How can we do this? This can be done abroad, not here'... Now, is it happening in our country or not, is it being built in our country or not, are our own people manufacturing it or not? This is our country's strength." He added: "India has embarked on a mission to enhance its resources for a developed India, and these trains are poised to become milestones in that journey." Noting that over the past 11 years, developmental initiatives in Uttar Pradesh have elevated pilgrimage to a new level, the PM said: "In the last year alone, 110 million devotees visited Varanasi for darshan of Baba Vishwanath. Since the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, over 60 million people have visited the temple of Ram Lalla." Modi concluded by expressing the vision that every visitor from across the world should experience a unique energy, enthusiasm, and joy in the sacred city of Baba Vishwanath....