The Indian Railways is set to launch semi-high speed Vande Bharat Express trains on five more routes on June 26, the first launch after the tragic rail accident in Odisha earlier this month that had claimed over 280 lives.
Read here: Mumbai-Goa Vande Bharat cancelled
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to launch the semi-high-speed trains. The routes on which the five trains will run are - Mumbai-Goa, Bangalore-Hubballi, Patna-Ranchi, Bhopal-Indore and Bhopal-Jabalpur.
Mumbai - Goa Vande Bharat:
Goa's first and Mumbai's fourth blue-white train will operate six days a week excpet Friday between Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Goa's Madgaon. During the trial run, it had covered the 586 km-distance in around seven hours.
It is likely to halt at seven stations: Dadar, Thane, Panvel, Khed, Ratnagiri, Kankawali and Thivim. Though its regular timetable has not been released, it is expected to start at 5:25 am from CSMT and will reach Madgoan at 1:15 pm.
The railway ministry had cancelled the launch of the Mumbai-Goa Vande Bharat train after the Odisha tragedy.
Bengaluru - Hubballi - Dharwad Vande Bharat:
{{/usCountry}}The railway ministry had cancelled the launch of the Mumbai-Goa Vande Bharat train after the Odisha tragedy.
Bengaluru - Hubballi - Dharwad Vande Bharat:
{{/usCountry}}Karnataka is set to get another Vande Bharat Express train between Bengaluru and Hubballi - Dharwad. This will be second Vande Bharat train for Karnataka as the first one runs between Chennai, Bengaluru and Mysuru.
The launch of the semi-high speed train between Bengaluru and Hubballi – Dhaward has been on the table but was delayed due to the electrification of downline. This will be the first rake of the South Western Railway (SWR).
Union minister of parliamentary affairs and Dharwad MP Pralhad Joshi met Ashwini Vaishnaw on May 31, to discuss the introduction of the Vande Bharat train.
Patna - Ranchi Vande Bharat:
Indian Railways on Monday successfully conducted the trial run of Bihar and Ranchi's first semi-high speed train. It left Patna Junction at 06:55 am and will reached the destination at 01:00 pm.
A senior officer of the South Eastern Railway at Ranchi said that they are though the route cahrt is not confirmed, but as per the discussion, the train is likely to run via Tatisilwai, Mersa, Shanki, Barkakana, Hazaribag, Koderma and Gaya.
The fare of the eight-rake semi-high speed train would be in the range of ₹1,000 to ₹1,200 for chair car and around ₹2,000 for executive class.
Read here: Vande Bharat Express trains now operational on 17 routes in India. See full list
Bhopal - Indore Vande Bharat:
PM Modi will on Tuesday, June 27 flag off the semi-high speed train connecting Bhopal and Indore from Rani Kamlapati railway station, Madhya Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit president VD Sharma had said.
Madhya Pradesh's second semi-high speed will operate between the two cities at the speed of 130 kmph.
Bhopal - Jabalpur Vande Bharat:
PM Modi will on Tuesday, June 27 flag off the semi-high speed train connecting Bhopal and Jabalpur from Rani Kamlapati railway station. Madhya Pradesh's third semi-high speed will operate between the two cities at the speed of 130 kmph.
"The prime minister will reach Bhopal on June 27 and flag off Vande Bharat Express trains. He will address BJP workers from 10 lakh booths across the country virtually," said Sharma, the Lok Sabha member from Khajuraho.
He claimed that 38 lakh workers from 64,100 booths in Madhya Pradesh will also participate in this programme. Elections to the 116-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly are due this year.
Currently, Vande Bharat Express trains are operational on 18 routes across the country though the Bilaspur Nagpur Vande Bharat train has been temporarily replaced by the Tejas Express. The Vande Bharat trains have been a huge hit among commuters. It is India's first semi-highspeed train equipped with world class passenger amenities.