Pune: The first week since Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off two Vande Bharat Express trains from Mumbai – one to Solapur and the other to Shirdi – on February 10 has seen a good response from passengers despite the high fares, with a total 12,207 passengers travelling from Mumbai to Solapur through Pune till February 18.
Shailesh Kshirsagar said, “I travelled from my hometown Kurduwadi to Mumbai for my office work by the Vande Bharat Express train and it was a pleasant journey. The views of the ghat section from the train are excellent but the fares are too high and should be reduced.”
Abhishek Khole who travelled from Mumbai to Solapur by Vande Bharat Express train said, “This new express train is superfast with better facilities compared to other superfast trains. I travelled in the executive coach which is very comfortable, and I would like to travel again by this train.”
The Mumbai to Solapur Vande Bharat Express is the ninth such train started in the country and only the first to climb the one in 37 gradient Khandala to Lonavla section of Bhor ghat on the Mumbai to Pune route without a banker engine. The train runs six days every week except on Wednesday from Mumbai to Solapur and Thursday from Solapur to Mumbai. The Mumbai to Solapur Vande Bharat Express departs from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) at 4.05 pm and arrives in Solapur on the same day at 10.40 pm, halting at Dadar, Kalyan, Pune and Kurduwadi stations enroute. A chair car (CC) ticket for the Mumbai to Solapur journey costs Rs1,300 inclusive of catering whereas an executive chair car (EC) ticket costs Rs2,365 inclusive of catering.
Meanwhile, passengers from Daund are demanding that the Vande Bharat Express train halt at Daund railway station as thousands of people travel between Daund and Pune for work. “There are not many trains travelling between Pune and Daund on a daily basis, and this new Vande Bharat Express train which goes to Solapur needs to take a stop at Daund station. There are thousands of people including students who travel daily between Pune and Daund and this will be a good option in the evening for passengers,” said Vikas Deshpande, a member of the Daund-Pune-Daund Passengers’ Group.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, passengers from Daund are demanding that the Vande Bharat Express train halt at Daund railway station as thousands of people travel between Daund and Pune for work. “There are not many trains travelling between Pune and Daund on a daily basis, and this new Vande Bharat Express train which goes to Solapur needs to take a stop at Daund station. There are thousands of people including students who travel daily between Pune and Daund and this will be a good option in the evening for passengers,” said Vikas Deshpande, a member of the Daund-Pune-Daund Passengers’ Group.
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