Indian Railways has named the indigenously manufactured semi-fast Train 18 as ‘Vande Bharat Express’, which will run between the national capital and Varanasi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to flag off this fully air-conditioned train soon, which will connect his Lok Sabha constituency with Delhi.

Announcing the decision, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said, “Train 18 will now be known as Vande Bharat Express. It’s a train built completely in India by Indian engineers, in a span of 18 months. It’ll ply from Delhi to Varanasi. It is an example that it’s possible to make world-class trains under Make in India,” Goyal said on Sunday.

The 16-coach train, built in 18 months at a cost of Rs 97 crore by the Integral Coach Factory (IVF), Chennai, is regarded as a successor to the 30-year-old Shatabdi Express. It’s also the first locomotive-less train in the country.

Addressing the media, the minister said ,  ‘It was named Train 18 during its initial days and now it has been given a new name after taking suggestions from the general public”.

The train will be fully air-conditioned and will stop at Kanpur and Allahabad and will have two executive chair cars, the minister said adding that it will have superior quality of air suspension for comfortable journey of the passengers, Goyal said.

“It is completely made in India and various names were suggested by the general public but we have decided to name it Vande Bharat Express. A gift on the occasion of  Republic Day to the people. Will request the Prime Minister to flag it off,” the minister said.

The Railway Minister also said that he has requested the Railway Board to scale up its production to reduce its overall cost and once the country will have surplus production, it will be exported as well.