On Sunday (September 15), Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated six new Vande Bharat Express trains, adding another step to India’s growing rail network.
The services have been launched between Tatanagar-Patna, Brahmapur-Tatanagar, Rourkela-Howrah, Deoghar-Varanasi, Bhagalpur-Howrah and Gaya-Howrah. The services will reduce travel time significantly with several latest features prioritising passenger convenience and safety.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in a statement outlined the expansion of the Vande Bharat fleet. “The Vande Bharat portfolio is constantly growing and new train services are being added for better connectivity,” the statement said. The Indian Express reported that it emphasized the importance of indigenous trains under the ‘Make in India’ campaign. It said the Vande Bharat trains offer state-of-the-art features that combine efficiency and convenience.
Vande Bharat, India’s first semi-high-speed train built indigenously, has been the cornerstone of efforts to modernize the country’s rail infrastructure. The first Vande Bharat train was rolled out on 15 February 2019. Since then, the fleet has expanded rapidly, and today 54 Vande Bharat trains are running on various routes across the country.
Indian Railways says these trains have made nearly 36,000 trips so far and carried over 3.17 crore people. The fleet covered an equivalent distance of 310.7 trips in the financial year 2023-24. The extensive network of these trains covers more than 280 districts in 24 states and union territories, which demonstrates their efficiency and reach.
Vande Bharat 2.0, the latest version, has several technological enhancements such as faster speed, Wi-Fi, an anti-virus system, and an indigenous ‘Kavach’ security system. These features ensuring both speed and safety make it the latest choice for passengers.
The success of Vande Bharat Express has not only showcased the achievements of the “Make in India” campaign but has also set new world standards for rail travel in terms of safety, speed, and service.
