PM Modi Flags Off Nine Vande Bharat Express

In a virtual inauguration ceremony held on Sunday (24th September), Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled nine new Vande Bharat Express trains, emphasizing that the nation’s infrastructure development is aligning with the aspirations of its 1.4 billion citizens.

Addressing the event, PM Modi remarked, “The speed and scale of infrastructure development are matching with the aspirations of 140 crore Indians. Today, people from Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, West Bengal, Kerala, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Gujarat will benefit from the introduction of Vande Bharat Express trains. These new trains symbolize the renewed vigor of the nation.”

The Prime Minister disclosed that these new additions would expand the Vande Bharat Express fleet, which already includes 25 operational trains. He noted the growing popularity of these trains, with over 1,11,00,000 crore passengers having traveled on them.

The launch of these trains aims to connect various religious and tourist destinations across 11 states, as highlighted in a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

The newly introduced Vande Bharat trains include:

1. Udaipur – Jaipur Vande Bharat Express
2. Tirunelveli-Madurai-Chennai Vande Bharat Express
3. Hyderabad – Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express
4. Vijayawada – Chennai (via Renigunta) Vande Bharat Express
5. Patna – Howrah Vande Bharat Express
6. Kasaragod – Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express
7. Rourkela – Bhubaneswar – Puri Vande Bharat Express
8. Ranchi – Howrah Vande Bharat Express
9. Jamnagar-Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Express

These Vande Bharat Express trains are set to become the fastest options along their respective routes, offering significant time savings for passengers. Compared to the existing fastest trains on these routes, the new Vande Bharat Express trains will be notably faster. For instance, the Rourkela-Bhubaneswar-Puri Vande Bharat Express and Kasaragod-Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express will be approximately 3 hours faster than the current options. Similarly, the Hyderabad–Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express, Tirunelveli-Madurai-Chennai Vande Bharat Express, Ranchi–Howrah Vande Bharat Express, Patna–Howrah Vande Bharat Express, and Jamnagar-Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Express will reduce travel times by about 1 to 2.5 hours. The Udaipur–Jaipur Vande Bharat Express will also save passengers around half an hour.

In alignment with the Prime Minister’s vision of enhancing connectivity to significant religious sites across the country, the Rourkela-Bhubaneswar-Puri Vande Bharat Express and Tirunelveli-Madurai-Chennai Vande Bharat Express will provide access to the important pilgrimage destinations of Puri and Madurai. Additionally, the Vijayawada–Chennai Vande Bharat Express will operate via the Renigunta route, offering connectivity to the Tirupati Pilgrimage Centre, as noted in the PMO statement.

These new Vande Bharat trains are poised to set a new benchmark for rail service in India. Equipped with state-of-the-art amenities and advanced safety features, including Kavach technology, they represent a significant step toward providing a modern, rapid, and comfortable mode of travel for the general public, professionals, business travelers, students, and tourists alike, as highlighted in the PMO statement.

Also Read: PM Modi Inaugurates Vande Bharat Train Linking Andhra Pradesh’s Vijayawada & Chennai
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