India celebrates a significant milestone in its railway infrastructure as Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually flags off 10 new Vande Bharat trains from Ahmedabad on March 12. With this inauguration, the total number of Vande Bharat trains in operation reaches an impressive 51, spanning across 45 different routes.
Among the newly introduced routes, noteworthy additions include Kasaragod–Thiruvananthapuram, Delhi to Katra, Mumbai-Ahmedabad, Delhi to Varanasi, Mysuru-Chennai, and the latest addition, Visakhapatnam–Secunderabad. Notably, the Visakhapatnam–Secunderabad route will now feature two Vande Bharat trains.
Jharkhand marks a significant milestone as well, with the introduction of its third Vande Bharat train. The first, operating between Ranchi and Patna, commenced its journey on June 27, 2023, followed by the Ranchi-Howrah route inaugurated on September 24, 2023. Now, Jharkhand eagerly awaits the Ranchi-Varanasi Vande Bharat train, slated to begin its operations on March 18.
Delhi emerges as a prominent hub with a total of 10 Vande Bharat trains connecting it to various destinations including Amb Andaura, Amritsar, Ayodhya, Bhopal, Dehradun, and Khajuraho. Mumbai closely follows with six trains, while Chennai proudly hosts five. Additionally, Mysuru is gearing up to welcome its second Vande Bharat train.
The expansion of Vande Bharat Express routes encompasses new tracks from Dehradun to Lucknow, Patna to Lucknow, and New Jalpaiguri to Patna. Moreover, trains will establish crucial connections such as Bhubaneswar to Visakhapatnam, Kalaburagi (formerly Gulbarga) to Bengaluru, Ranchi to Varanasi, and Khajuraho to Delhi.
Further enhancing connectivity, Ahmedabad and Mumbai are set to receive their second set of Vande Bharat trains, along with Secunderabad and Visakhapatnam, and Bengaluru and Chennai.
Saurabh Prasad, Divisional Railway Manager of Waltair Division, confirms that among the two Vande Bharat trains, one will operate between Visakhapatnam and Bhubaneswar, while the other will serve the Visakhapatnam–Secunderabad route.
The expansion of the Vande Bharat train network signifies a significant leap in India’s railway infrastructure, promising enhanced connectivity and convenience for passengers across the country.
