Vande Bharat Express Archives - Lokmarg

Modi Flags Off Second Vande Bharat Train Between Varanasi And Delhi

By LokMarg 18th December 2023

In a historic moment for India’s rail infrastructure, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off a second Vande Bharat Express between Varanasi and New Delhi on Monday.

The Varanasi-New Delhi Vande Bharat Express, Dohrighat-Mau MEMU train and a pair of Long Haul goods trains were flagged off by the Prime Minister at the newly inaugurated Dedicated Freight Corridor.

The highlight of the event was the 10,000th locomotive made by Banaras Locomotive Works.

The Vande Bharat Express, a symbol of the ‘Make in India’ initiative, promises to revolutionize travel between Uttar Pradesh and the national capital.

Scheduled to commence regular operations on December 20, the train will connect Varanasi, Prayagraj, Kanpur, and New Delhi, offering a swift and modern travel option for pilgrims and professionals alike.

The Vande Bharat Express, a self-propelled semi-high-speed train, boasts superior design, interiors, and speed, promising passengers a pleasant and efficient travel experience.

Departing from Varanasi at 6:00 AM, the Vande Bharat Express is set to reach Prayagraj, Kanpur Central and finally New Delhi, enhancing connectivity and fostering cultural, industrial, and economic development in the region.

The return journey will commence from New Delhi at 3:00 PM, concluding its route in Varanasi at 11:05 PM.

In parallel, the dedication of the 402 km-long stretch of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor from New Deen Dayal Upadhyay Junction to New Bhaupur Junction underscores the government’s commitment to strengthening the logistics sector.

Built at Rs 10,903 crore, this corridor connects coal fields in Jharkhand and West Bengal to power plants in Northern India.

Operating at speeds of up to 100 km/h, freight trains on this corridor have significantly reduced logistic costs and time, benefitting industries such as coal, iron, and steel.

The completion of this segment not only eases the pressure on the Delhi-Howrah main line but also paves the way for additional passenger train services and the development of a multimodal logistics park near New Kanpur Junction.

The Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor stands as a testament to the government’s vision for modernizing infrastructure and fostering economic growth.

Indian Railways, often considered the engine of India’s progress, continues to play a pivotal role in the nation’s economic development under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. (ANI)

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Modi To Launch Nine Vande Bharat Trains On Sunday

By LokMarg 23rd September 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate nine Vande Bharat Express trains on September 24, at 12:30 PM via video conferencing.

These new additions to the Vande Bharat fleet represent a significant stride towards enhancing connectivity across the nation and offering world-class amenities to rail passengers, read the press release by the Prime Minister’s Office.

Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw said, “Tomorrow PM Modi will be inaugurating the Jamnagar-Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Train here”.

The nine Vande Bharat Express trains scheduled for the inauguration are Udaipur – Jaipur Vande Bharat Express, Tirunelveli-Madurai-Chennai Vande Bharat Express, Hyderabad – Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express, Vijayawada – Chennai (via Renigunta) Vande Bharat Express, Patna – Howrah Vande Bharat Express, Kasaragod – Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express, Rourkela – Bhubaneswar – Puri Vande Bharat Express, Ranchi – Howrah Vande Bharat Express, Jamnagar-Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Express, read the press release.

The introduction of these nine trains aims to enhance connectivity across eleven states, including Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, West Bengal, Kerala, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Gujarat.

These Vande Bharat trains will be the fastest along their respective routes, significantly reducing travel time for passengers.

For instance, the Rourkela- Bhubaneswar – Puri Vande Bharat Express and Kasaragod – Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express will be approximately 3 hours faster than the current fastest trains on their routes, read the release.

Similarly, the Hyderabad – Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express will save more than 2.5 hours, and the Tirunelveli-Madurai- Chennai Vande Bharat Express will reduce travel time by over 2 hours.

In line with Prime Minister Modi’s vision to improve connectivity to important religious destinations, the Rourkela- Bhubaneswar – Puri Vande Bharat Express and Tirunelveli-Madurai- Chennai Vande Bharat Express will connect the significant pilgrimage towns of Puri and Madurai, read the release.

Additionally, the Vijayawada – Chennai Vande Bharat Express, operating via the Renigunta route, will provide connectivity to the revered Tirupati Pilgrimage Centre.

These newly introduced Vande Bharat trains will set a new standard for rail service in India.

Equipped with world-class amenities and advanced safety features, including Kavach technology, they represent a step towards providing modern, fast, and comfortable travel options for commuters, professionals, business travelers, students, and tourists alike. (ANI)

PM To Flag Off 2 Vande Trains From Bengal As ‘Durga Pujo Gift’

By LokMarg 22nd September 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to inaugurate a total of nine Vande Bharat express trains through video conferencing on September 24, of which two will be specifically for West Bengal– one, connecting Patna to Howrah and the other, connecting Ranchi to Howrah. Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of the Eastern Railway, Kaushik Mitra has described this move as a “Durga Pujo gift” to Bengal.

“There are already three Vande Bharat trains in West Bengal- Howrah-New Jalpaiguri Junction, Puri-Howrah and New Jalpaiguri Junction-Guwahati. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has allotted another two Vande Bharats for West Bengal- Patna-Howrah and Ranch Howrah. People of West Bengal will be thrilled and take this as a Durgapuja gift from Narendra Modi,” the Eastern Railway CPRO said speaking to ANI on Friday.

The Vande Bharat Express trains will cover Bengal from the Chittaranjan area to Howrah, the CPRO said adding that both the trains will be inaugurated on the 24th and will reach Howrah station at around 10 pm.

On the new-age facilities that will be provided on board the Vande Bharat trains, Mitra said, “The inclination of the chairs has been increased from 17 degrees to 19 degrees. The cushion seating has been improved. We have also changed the colours of the seats from blue to reddish. We have improved the basins and lighting facilities in the washrooms. We have also introduced wheelchair facilities for the specially-abled passengers from the compartment.”

Speaking on passenger feedback about the Vande Bharat trains, the Eastern Railway CPRO said, “Based on the experiences and feedback we have received from passengers, Vande Bharats are more user-friendly, more sophisticated and more comfortable.”

Mitra further said that the Vande Bharat trains will now be the fastest train travelling on this route and will even be faster than the present Rajdhani Express. While the Rajdhani Express takes 7 hours 45 minutes to reach Howrah from Patna, the Vande Bharat express will take only 6 and a half hours.

“Earlier from Patna to Howrah, the fastest train travelling on this route was Rajdhani Express which used to take 7 hours 45 minutes. With this Vande Bharat Express, it will take only 6 and a half hours,” the CPRO said.

The CPRO said that Asansol being an economic hub in West Bengal, the Vande Bharats will help passengers travelling from these regions to Howrah and to Patna in a short span.

“Asansol is an economic hub. Many steel plants are there, many cement factories are growing up there. People from Patna or Asansol can come to Kolkata or reach Patna in a short span,” he said.

Mitra said that several railway stations have been developed as Amrit Bharat stations with modern facilities. “Many stations have been identified as Amrit Bharat stations. A huge amount has been spent on stations like Asansol, Andal and Bardhaman,” he said. (ANI)

MP: Modi Flags Off 5 Vande Bharat Express Trains

By LokMarg 27th June 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday flagged off five Vande Bharat Express trains from the Rani Kamalapati Railway Station in Madhya Pradesh capital city Bhopal.

Ahead of the flagging-off ceremony, the Prime Minister interacted with crew members of the train and some children onboard the Vande Bharat train at Rani Kamlapati railway station.
Five Vande Bharat Express trains which were flagged off by the PM include — Rani Kamalapati-Jabalpur Vande Bharat Express; Khajuraho-Bhopal-Indore Vande Bharat Express; Madgaon (Goa)-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express; Dharwad-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express; and Hatia-Patna Vande Bharat Express.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Governor Mangubhai C Patel, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishaw and Jyotiraditya Scindia were present at the event.

The routes on which the semi-high speed trains would operate are- Rani Kamalapati (Bhopal)-Jabalpur Vande Bharat Express; Khajuraho-Bhopal-Indore Vande Bharat Express; Madgaon (Goa)-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express; Dharwad-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express; and Hatia-Patna Vande Bharat Express.

The Rani Kamalapati (Bhopal)-Jabalpur Vande Bharat Express will connect Madhya Pradesh Mahakaushal region (Jabalpur) to the Central region (Bhopal). Madhya Pradesh’s second semi-high speed will operate between the two cities at the speed of 130 kmph. The train is expected to be faster by about thirty minutes as compared to the existing fastest train on the route.

Madhya Pradesh’s third semi-high speed train will operate between the state’s Malwa region (Indore), Bundelkhand region (Khajuraho) and Central Region (Bhopal). The train is expected to benefit the tourist sites like Mahakaleshwar, Mandu, Maheshwar, Khajuraho, Panna. The train is expected be about two hours and thirty minutes faster than the fastest existing train on the route.

The Mumbai- Madgaon (Goa) Vande Bharat Express- which is Goa’s first semi-high speed train, will operate between Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Goa’s Madgaon station. The train will operate six days a week except on Friday. The train is expected to save the journey time by about an hour as compared to the existing trains on the route. The railway ministry had cancelled the launch of the Mumbai-Goa Vande Bharat train after the Odisha tragedy.

The Dharwad-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express in Karnataka will connect key cities like Dharwad, Hubballi and Davangere – with state capital Bengaluru. The train is expected to be faster by about thirty minutes as compared to the existing fastest train in the route. This will be second Vande Bharat train for Karnataka as the first one runs between Chennai, Bengaluru and Mysuru.

Hatia-Patna Vande Bharat Express would be the first Vande Bharat for Jharkhand and Bihar.

“Enhancing connectivity between Patna and Ranchi, the train will be a boon for tourists, students and businessmen. It will help save about one hour and twenty five minutes journey time, when compared with the current fastest train connecting the two places,” a statement said.

PM had written on Twitter wrote, “I will be in Bhopal tomorrow, 27th June to take part in two programmes. First, 5 Vande Bharat trains would be flagged off at a programme in Rani Kamalapati Railway Station. These trains will improve connectivity in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, Bihar and Jharkhand.”

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said that the first Vande Bharat Express launched in Goa today will improve faster connectivity of the State with Mumbai will boost tourism and trade.

“I am very grateful to PM Modi and Ashwini Vaishnaw for running the Vande Bharat train in the state. The PM will flag this virtually. This (Vande Bharat train) will definitely help in the faster connectivity of Goa with Mumbai which will boost tourism and trade,” Pramod Sawant said. (ANI)

Vande Bharat Trains To Cover Entire Country By June: Minister

By LokMarg 2nd June 2023

Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday said that Vande Bharat trains will start covering all the states by June.

Addressing a press conference in the national capital, the Railway Minister said that they have a target to connect 200 cities with the Vande Bharat train by the middle of the next year, adding that the production work is going at a fast pace.

He said, “Vande Bharat trains will start covering all the states by June. We have a target to connect 200 cities with Vande Bharat by the middle of next year. Production work is going at a fast pace for the implementation of the project.”

Meanwhile, on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off Goa’s first Vande Bharat Express from Madgaon railway station. PM Modi will join the flagging-off ceremony through video conferencing.

The state-of-the-art Vande Bharat Express will improve the connectivity in the Mumbai – Goa route and provide the people of the region the means to travel with speed and comfort.

The train will be the 19th Vande Bharat train to run in the country.

The first Vande Bharat Express train was flagged off on February 15, 2019, on the New Delhi Kanpur-Allahabad-Varanasi route.

The Vande Bharat Express can run up to a maximum speed of 160 kmph.

In his address to the nation on August 15, 2021, from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that during the 75 weeks of the Amrit Mahotsav of Independence, 75 Vande Bharat trains will connect every corner of the country.

In the Union Budget 2022-23, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that four hundred new-generation Vande Bharat Trains will be manufactured during the next three years. (ANI)

Modi Flags Off Vande Bharat Connecting Dehradun To Delhi

By LokMarg 25th May 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday virtually flagged off the indigenously-built Vande Bharat Express that connects Dehradun with New Delhi.

This is the first Vande Bharat train which has been introduced in Uttarakhand.
The train has been built indigenously and is equipped with advanced safety features including the Kavach technology. It has world-class amenities and heralds a new era of comfortable travel experience, especially for the tourists travelling to the state.

An official release said that Indian Railways is on a quest to completely electrify rail routes in the country guided by the vision of the Prime Minister of providing cleaner means of public transport,.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw were present at Dehradun railway station. (ANI)

Modi To Flag Off Puri-Howrah Vande Bharat Express Today

By LokMarg 18th May 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the Vande Bharat Express between Puri and Howrah today via video conferencing.

The ultra-modern semi-high-speed train is equipped with state-of-the-art passenger amenities.
According to Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the train will pass through Khordha, Cuttack, Jajpur, Bhadrak and Balasore districts in Odisha and Paschim Medinipur and Purba Medinipur districts in West Bengal. The train will provide a faster, more comfortable and convenient travel experience to passengers, boost tourism and promote economic development in the region.

Last month, the railways conducted the trial run of Vande Bharat Express, India’s indigenously designed semi-high-speed train, between Howrah and Puri on Friday.

PM Modi will lay the foundation stone and dedicate several railway projects worth more than Rs 8,000 crore in Odisha via video conferencing on Thursday.

Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for Puri and Cuttack railway station redevelopment. The redeveloped stations will have all modern amenities providing a world-class experience to the rail passengers, said PMO statement.

Prime Minister will dedicate 100 per cent electrification of the rail network in Odisha. This will reduce the operating and maintenance cost and reduce reliance on imported crude oil.

PM Modi will also dedicate the doubling of the Sambalpur-Titlagarh rail line; a new broad gauge rail line between Angul-Sukinda; the third line connecting Manoharpur-Rourkela-Jharsuguda-Jamga and a new broad-gauge line between Bichhupali-Jhartarbha. These will cater to the increased traffic demands as a result of rapid industrial development in steel, power and mining sectors in Odisha and will also help ease the pressure on passenger traffic in these rail sections, said the PMO statement. (ANI)