PM Narendra Modi to flag off 9 Vande Bharat Express trains

PM Narendra Modi would be present during the inauguration of 9 Vande Bharat Express trains through video conferencing on 24th September. The 9 trains would travel across Udaipur - Jaipur; Tirunelveli-Madurai- Chennai; Hyderabad -Bengaluru; Vijayawada - Chennai (via Renigunta); Patna - Howrah; Kasaragod - Thiruvananthapuram; Rourkela - Bhubaneswar - Puri; Ranchi - Howrah; and Jamnagar-Ahmedabad.

"The Vande Bharat trains will be the fastest train along the routes of their operation and will help save considerable time of the passengers," the official statement from the Prime Minister’s Office mentioned. The Vande Bharat Express between Bengaluru and Hyderabad would reduce travel time by more than 2 hours and 30 minutes. 

Improving connectivity to religious places of significance is one of the objectives of the trains. "In line with the Prime Minister’s vision to improve connectivity of important religious places across the country, Rourkela- Bhubaneswar – Puri  Vande Bharat Express and Tirunelveli-Madurai- Chennai Vande Bharat Express will connect important religious towns of Puri and Madurai. Also, the Vijayawada – Chennai Vande Bharat Express will operate via the Renigunta route and will provide connectivity to the Tirupati Pilgrimage Centre," the official statement of the PMO highlighted. 

The trains are equipped with the Kavach technology as an anti-collision measure. "The introduction of these Vande Bharat trains will herald a new standard of rail service in the country. These trains, equipped with world-class amenities and advanced safety features, including Kavach technology, will be a key step towards providing modern, speedy and comfortable means of travel to common people, professionals, businessmen, student community and tourists," the statement added.