In a significant development for rail connectivity in southern India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially launched the Vande Bharat train service connecting Vijayawada to Chennai today, utilizing a virtual conference held in Delhi.
Earlier in the day, Narendra Patel, the Railway Manager of Vijayawada, had announced the launch plans, stating, “The inaugural train service will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister through a virtual conference. This marks the first-ever Vande Bharat Train link between Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Reservations have been made available for all classes of the regular train service.”
Patel highlighted that this marks the third Vande Bharat Express to serve the state of Andhra Pradesh. The newly launched indigenous semi-high-speed train originates from the Vijayawada railway station, ultimately connecting to the Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M. G. Ramachandran Central Railway Station in Chennai. Along the way, the train offers stopovers at Tenali, Ongole, Nellore and Renigunta railway stations providing passengers with flexible travel options between the two cities. The journey from Vijayawada to Chennai is expected to be completed in just 6 hours and 40 minutes with the route passing through Renigunta offering pilgrims from both states convenient access to the temple town of Tirupati.
Furthermore, Patel emphasized that this train route provides the quickest connection between Vijayawada and Chennai.
He elaborated on the train’s advanced technological features, underscoring its commitment to delivering a convenient, comfortable, and secure travel experience for passengers from both southern states. Additionally, he highlighted the train’s potential to stimulate socio-economic development by creating job opportunities and fostering interdependence between the residents of the two southern states.
The regular train service for the Vijayawada–Chennai–Vijayawada Vande Bharat Express is set to commence operations on September 25. Comprising 8 coaches, including 7 AC Chair Car coaches and 1 Executive Chair Car coach, the train has a total passenger capacity of 530. The train will operate six days a week, with Tuesdays being the exception.
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