For the very first time, multiple Vande Bharat trains have been inaugurated in a single day.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to the capital of Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal, and launched five Vande Bharat trains that connect significant cities around the nation. When Modi arrived at Bhopal’s Rani Kamalapati railway station, he waved off five trains—two physically and three virtually.
Among those present in the event along with the Prime Minister were Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Jyotiraditya Scindia, Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangubhai Patel, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
The five Vande Bharat trains are: the Vande Bharat Express from Bhopal (Rani Kamalapati) to Indore; the Vande Bharat Express from Bhopal (Rani Kamalapati) to Jabalpur; the Vande Bharat Express from Ranchi to Patna; the Vande Bharat Express from Dharwad to Bengaluru; and the Vande Bharat Express from Goa (Madgaon) to Mumbai.
Connectivity of the New Trains
Details about the routes and shortened travel time of the new express trains have been published in an official release.
Rani Kamalapati-Jabalpur Vande Bharat Express will connect Mahakaushal Region (Jabalpur) to the Central Region (Bhopal). Also, improved connectivity will benefit tourist places like Bheraghat, Pachmarhi, Satpura, etc. The train will be faster by about 30 minutes compared to the fastest train on the route before this.
Khajuraho-Bhopal-Indore Vande Bharat Express will improve the connectivity of the Malwa Region (Indore) and Bundelkhand Region (Khajuraho) to the Central Region (Bhopal). This will benefit important tourist sites like Mahakaleshwar, Mandu, Maheshwar, Khajuraho, and Panna. The train will be about two hours and thirty minutes faster than the fastest existing train on the route.
The Madgaon (Goa)-Mumbai The Vande Bharat Express will be Goa’s first Vande Bharat Express. It will run between Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Goa’s Madgaon station, and will help save about one hour of journey time when compared with the current fastest train connecting the two said places.
The Dharwad-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express will connect important cities in Karnataka – Dharwad, Hubballi, and Davangere – with the state capital, Bengaluru. The train will be faster by about 30 minutes compared to the fastest train on the route.
Hatia-Patna Vande Bharat Express will be the first Vande Bharat for Jharkhand and Bihar. It will enhance connectivity between Patna and Ranchi, and help save about one hour and twenty-five minutes of journey time when compared with the current fastest train connecting the two places, the official statement read.
About Vande Bharat
The Vande Bharat Express train sets, which were first unveiled by the PM in February 2019, have a variety of facilities that, in the words of Railways, “offer passengers a world-class comfortable travelling experience and advanced state-of-the-art safety features, including KAVACH technology.”
For an operating speed of 160 kmph, each train includes traction motors that are completely hung. The Vande Bharat train sets, in contrast to typical locomotive-hauled trains, are self-propelled in sets of four coaches.
Although the lines have not yet been modified to support greater average speed, the trains are now authorised for peak speeds of 160 kmph.
In the meantime, Railways is modernising the rails throughout the country to match the changing demands.
The train has been designed to increase Indian Railways’ green footprint by dispensing with the power cars and saving about 30% electricity with advanced regenerative braking system.
