PM Modi to inaugurate 9 Vande Bharat Express trains on September 24
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate nine Vande Bharat Express trains on September 24, according to officials from the Ministry of Railways. These trains will serve various routes, enhancing connectivity in different regions of India. The inauguration will include two trains for West Bengal’s Howrah and Tamil Nadu’s Chennai, and one each for Kerala, Odisha, Telangana, Gujarat, and Rajasthan, which is in the midst of a political election.
These semi-high speed trains will consist of eight coaches each, and they are set to operate on the following routes:
1. Ranchi-Howrah
2. Patna-Howrah
3. Vijayawada-Chennai
4. Tirunelveli-Chennai
5. Rourkela-Puri
6. Udaipur-Jaipur
7. Kasaragod-Thiruvananthapuram
8. Jamnagar-Ahmedabad
9. Hyderabad-Bengaluru
For instance, the Tirunelveli-Chennai Vande Bharat Express train is scheduled to depart from Tirunelveli Junction at 6 am and reach Chennai around 1:50 pm on its journey. The return trip is expected to commence at 2:50 pm on all days except Tuesdays. These new train services aim to provide improved and efficient transportation options for passengers across these routes.
The Vande Bharat Express train operating on the Tirunelveli-Chennai route is expected to maintain an average speed of approximately 83.30 kilometers per hour. During its journey, it will make stops at key stations including Virudhunagar, Madurai, Dindigul, and Tiruchi, providing convenient connectivity for passengers at these locations.
This newly inaugurated route marks Tamil Nadu’s third Vande Bharat Express service, following the launches of the Chennai-Mysuru Vande Bharat Express in November of the previous year and subsequently the Chennai-Coimbatore Vande Bharat train. These services reflect the Indian Railways’ efforts to introduce modern, high-speed trains on various routes to improve travel efficiency and passenger comfort.
The Vijayawada-MGR Chennai Central Vande Bharat Express will traverse through several towns and cities in Andhra Pradesh, including Tenali, Ongole, Nellore, and Renigunta. The presence of Andhra Pradesh Governor S Abdul Nazeer and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at the event held at Vijayawada Railway Station underscores the significance of this new rail service for the region and its transportation infrastructure.
The Vande Bharat Express between Vijayawada and Chennai is set to cover the distance between the two cities in 6 hours and 40 minutes, as reported by The Hindu. This reduced travel time will likely offer passengers a quicker and more efficient transportation option between these two important cities in South India.
Additionally, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had announced earlier this month that Madhya Pradesh’s Neemuch would also soon receive a Vande Bharat Express train service. During a public address in Neemuch on September 4, the Railway Minister stated that it was time for a Vande Bharat Express to operate on this route. He mentioned that Member of Parliament Sudhir Gupta had already requested this service, indicating that the region can expect to see the introduction of a Vande Bharat Express in the near future, further expanding the reach of these modern and efficient train services.
The Vande Bharat Express is a domestically manufactured, semi-high-speed, self-propelled train set that represents a technological advancement in the Indian railway system. It is designed to offer passengers a faster, more comfortable, and convenient travel experience, equipped with state-of-the-art amenities.
According to a recent press release by Central Railway, during the period from August 15 to September 8, the total number of passengers who traveled on Vande Bharat trains in the Central Railway region reached 1.22 lakh.
The Indian Railways generated a total revenue of 10.72 crores through these services during this specified time frame. The press release also provided details on the occupancy rates for various Vande Bharat Express trains in the Central Railway region:
1. Bilaspur-Nagpur Express: Highest occupancy rate of 122.56 percent.
2. GOA Madgaon-CSMT Express: Lowest occupancy rate of 75.50 percent.
3. Nagpur-Bilaspur Express: Occupancy rate of 106.40 percent.
4. CSMT Shirdi Express: Occupancy rate of 81.33 percent.
5. Shirdi-CSMT Express: Occupancy rate of 81.88 percent.
6. CSMT Solapur Express: Occupancy rate of 93.71 percent.
7. Solapur-CSMT Express: Occupancy rate of 105.09 percent.
8. Madgaon Express: Occupancy rate of 92.05 percent.
These occupancy rates reflect the popularity of Vande Bharat Express trains among passengers in the Central Railway region and highlight the efficient utilization of these modern train services.
