Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday flagged off four new Vande Bharat Express trains connecting major commercial and religious cities while cutting travel times. The new services were inaugurated along the Banaras-Khajuraho, the Lucknow-Saharanpur, the Firozpur-Delhi and the Ernakulam-Bengaluru routes, expanding India’s network of semi-high-speed trains.
The PM flagged off the Banaras-Khajuraho Vande Bharat from Varanasi at 8.30 am, while virtually inaugurating the others. Speaking at the inauguration, the PM said, “Infrastructure has played an important role in the development of most nations. The development of a city begins on its own as soon as it gets better connectivity. Infrastructure is not limited to huge bridges and highways. These trains not only connect heritage cities but also accelerate development. Trains like Vande Bharat, Namo Bharat, and Amrit Bharat are laying the foundation for the next generation of Indian Railways.”
In Kerala, the inaugural run of the Ernakulam – Bengaluru Vande Bharat was attended by Governor of Kerala Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Union Minister of State for petroleum, natural gas and tourism Suresh Gopi, Kerala’s Minister for industries, law and coir P Rajeev, Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden among others.
This is the third Vande Bharat in Kerala and will connect the State to commercial centers in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Currently, Kerala has two Vande Bharat trains on the Thiruvananthapuram–Kasaragod route and the Thiruvananthapuram-Mangaluru routes. These are among the most profitable routes for southern railways in the State.
The newly launched train will reduce travel time between Ernakulam and Bengaluru by about two hours. It will depart Ernakulam Junction daily at 2.20 pm (except Wednesdays) and reach Bengaluru KSR at 11 pm. It will stop at Thrissur, Palakkad, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Salem, Jolarpettai and Krishnarajapuram before terminating at Bengaluru KSR. By comparison, the fastest train on this route, the Bengaluru–Ernakulam Superfast Express, currently takes 11 hours.
Speaking at the inauguration, Governor Arlekar said, “Vande Bharat trains define how rail transport can be.
We have the largest rail network but we need to improve it every day to achieve the status of a developed nation. Vande Bharat trains are another step in that direction.”
The train will serve as an important link between the textile hub in Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode and the commercial cities of Bengaluru and Ernakulam. A train along this route has been a long-standing demand of the State. Speaking before the inauguration, all the dignitaries reiterated how the State has made various representations to the Centre and have even raised the issue — of connecting the State to Bengaluru — in the Parliament.
“The latest Vande Bharat train not only connects two major economic centres but will also boost tourism and sustainability,” MoS Gopi added. Vande Bharat trains are semi-high-speed, self-propelling, Electric Multiple Units (EMUs), which aim to connect cities up to 800 km away. First introduced in February 2019, currently, there are 80 such trains. Seen as a successor to Shatabdi Express trains, these trains are expected to replace the former in the coming years.
The Banaras–Khajuraho Vande Bharat will save about 2 hours and 40 minutes compared to the special trains currently in operation.
It will connect some of India’s most revered religious and cultural destinations, including Varanasi, Prayagraj, Chitrakoot and Khajuraho. The Lucknow–Saharanpur Vande Bharat will save nearly 1 hour of travel time. The Lucknow–Saharanpur Vande Bharat Express will benefit passengers from Lucknow, Sitapur, Shahjahanpur, Bareilly, Moradabad, Bijnor and Saharanpur, while also improving access to the holy city of Haridwar via Roorkee.
The Firozpur–Delhi Vande Bharat will be the fastest train on this route, completing the journey in just 6 hours 40 minutes. The Firozpur–Delhi Vande Bharat Express will strengthen connectivity between the national capital and key cities in Punjab, including Firozpur, Bathinda, and Patiala.
The PM flagged off the Banaras-Khajuraho Vande Bharat from Varanasi at 8.30 am, while virtually inaugurating the others