“Rajasthan is getting its first Vande Bharat Express today from Ajmer to Delhi. The Vande Bharat train will boost the tourism industry in Rajasthan,” said Modi.
He added, “Vande Bharat Express is the first semi-high speed train that is made in India. It is one of the most compact and efficient trains. It is equipped with a safety system.
Route and timings
The Vande Bharat Express will ply between Jaipur and Delhi Cantt railway stations. Regular train service will start from Thursday with halts at Jaipur, Alwar and Gurugram. This train will have 16 coaches including 12 air-conditioned chair cars, two air conditioned executive chair cars and two driving car class coaches.
According to the schedule drawn up for the newest Vande Bharat Express, it will cover the distance between Delhi Cantt and Ajmer in 5 hours and 15 minutes.
The present fastest train on the same route, Shatabdi Express, takes 6 hours 15 minutes. The new Vande Bharat Express will be faster by 60 minutes than the present fastest train on the same route.
Improved connectivity to major tourist destinations
Ajmer-Delhi Cantt Vande Bharat Express will be the world’s first semi-high-speed passenger train on high-rise overhead electric (OHE) territory.
The train will improve the connectivity to major tourist destinations in Rajasthan, including Pushkar and the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, among other places that draw visitors in bulk around the year. Enhanced connectivity will also provide a boost to socio-economic development in the region.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 8 flagged off the Chennai-Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express in Chennai. It was the second train in the semi-high-speed class to be flagged off on the same day after the Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat Express, which rolled out of the Secunderabad Railway Station in Telangana.
Other launches
Earlier, in January, PM Modi had flagged off India’s eighth Vande Bharat Express between Secunderabad and Visakhapatnam.
The launch came a week after Prime Minister Modi flagged off a Vande Bharat Express on the Bhopal-New Delhi route.
The Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat Express has stops at Nalgonda, Guntur, Ongole, and Nellore stations while it covers its 660 km journey between the cities.
Vande Bharat Express is an indigenously manufactured, semi-high speed and self-propelled train set. The train is equipped with state-of-the-art passenger amenities, providing passengers with a faster, more comfortable and more convenient travel experience.
(With inputs from ANI)
