Bhubaneswar: Odisha to get its second Vandhe Bharat Express soon, Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw said Monday.
Vaishnaw informed about the launch of second semi-high-speed passenger train in Odisha during the inauguration of Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express with Tejas rakes. Notably, Monday’s operation was a trial run and the train will run as Rajdhani-Tejas Express from August 19.
According to the minister, the proposed Vande Bharat train is scheduled to run from Rourkela to Bhubaneswar. The route chart for the second Vande Bharat has been finalised and it will cover Rourkela, Sundargarh, Talcher and Angul, he added.
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“While flagging off the first Vande Bharat Express between Puri and Howrah May 18, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised another semi-high-speed train for Odisha. In keeping with that promise, the second Vande Bharat will run soon from Rourkela to Bhubaneswar,” Vaishnaw said.
The Railway Minister said Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Tejas Express will have ultra-modern facilities like automatic entrance doors, passenger announcement/passenger information system (PA/PIS), fire and smoke detection and suppression system, CCTV cameras, improved lavatory, vacuum assisted flushing with bio-toilets, superior toilet fittings, touch-free soap dispenser, sealed vestibules, LED lights and an aesthetic colour scheme.
The Tejas rakes are for better travel experience for passengers on long-distance journeys and for enhanced comfort for them. They can run at a maximum speed of 160 kmph, railway official here said.
With the introduction of the Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani-Tejas Express, the number of the semi-high-speed train service in the country will increase to five. The first Rajdhani train upgraded with Tejas rake was introduced in July 2021 on the Delhi-Mumbai route. The others are Agartala-Anand Vihar Rajdhani Express, Mumbai-Nizamuddin August Kranti Rajdhani and Rajendra Nagar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express.
During its journey between Bhubaneswar-New Delhi, the train will have 13 stoppages Cuttack, Bhadrak, Balasore, Hijli, Tata Nagar Junction, Muri, Bokaro Steel City, Gomo, Koderma Junction, Gaya Junction, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Junction, Prayagraj Junction and Kanpur Central, the official added.
It can be mentioned here that Vaishnaw is on a two-day visit to Odisha. He will inaugurate a train management centre at Khurda Road station and review the works of East Coast Railway and postal and telecom departments.
Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi May 18 flagged off Odisha’s first Vande Bharat Express through video conference. The train, with 16 coaches, runs from Puri to Howrah stopping at stations such as Kharagpur, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur Keonjhar Road, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and Khurda Road.
PNN & Agencies