Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday flagged off the Ajni(Nagpur)-Pune Vande Bharat Express from KSR Bengaluru Railway Station through a video link, along with two other Vande Bharat services, KSR Bengaluru-Belagavi and Shree Mata Vaishnodevi Katra-Amritsar.
The launch ceremony at Nagpur Railway Station was attended by Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and other dignitaries. The Nagpur-Pune train, adorned with flowers for its maiden journey, drew large crowds, taking photographs and exploring its modern features.
As per information given by the railways, the Ajni-Pune Vande Bharat Express is the longest-running Vande Bharat service in the country, covering 881km with 10 intermediate halts - Wardha, Badnera, Akola, Shegaon, Bhusaval, Jalgaon, Manmad, Kopargaon, Ahmednagar and Daund Chord Line. It is also the fastest train on this route, operating at an average speed of 73kmph, and is the 12th Vande Bharat service in Maharashtra.
Significantly, it is the first Vande Bharat to serve the Wardha-Manmad stretch, a previously unserved section, thereby improving rail connectivity for towns and cities along the way.
The train has eight coaches, one executive chair car and seven regular chair cars with seating capacity of 530 passengers. Regular service will begin on August 11 from Pune (Train No 26101) and August 12 from Ajni (Train No 26102), running six days a week, except Tuesday from Pune and Monday from Ajni. Train No 26101 will depart Pune at 06:25 hours and reach Ajni at 18:25 hours, while Train No 26102 will leave Ajni at 09:50 hours and arrive in Pune at 21:50 hours. Reservations are open at all computerised booking centres and on the IRCTC website.
{{/usCountry}}The train has eight coaches, one executive chair car and seven regular chair cars with seating capacity of 530 passengers. Regular service will begin on August 11 from Pune (Train No 26101) and August 12 from Ajni (Train No 26102), running six days a week, except Tuesday from Pune and Monday from Ajni. Train No 26101 will depart Pune at 06:25 hours and reach Ajni at 18:25 hours, while Train No 26102 will leave Ajni at 09:50 hours and arrive in Pune at 21:50 hours. Reservations are open at all computerised booking centres and on the IRCTC website.
{{/usCountry}}“We expect this new service to significantly boost connectivity between Nagpur and Pune, two rapidly-growing urban centres with thriving industries, educational hubs, medical institutions, and tourism potential. The Vande Bharat Express is expected to promote trade, tourism and economic growth in Maharashtra while showcasing the government’s commitment to modern, indigenous rail infrastructure under the ‘Make in India’ initiative,” said Hemantkumar Behera, spokesperson for the Pune Railway Division
Citizens are happy with the new launch. “I have been traveling between Pune and Nagpur for work for years, and the journey is long with limited comfort options. Vande Bharat has spacious seats and the large windows make the journey so much more pleasant. More importantly, cutting down on travel time means I can make more trips without feeling exhausted. This is not just a faster train, it’s a much-needed upgrade for passengers like me who travel frequently for business and family visits,” said Rohit Padiyar, a Pune-based entrepreneur.