PM Modi flags off Rajasthan’s first Vande Bharat Express train

Tags: State News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off Rajasthan’s first Vande Bharat Express train on 12 April.

An overview of the news

• The inaugural train will run between Jaipur and Delhi Cantt Railway Station. Regular train service will start between Ajmer and Delhi Cantt with stops at Jaipur, Alwar and Gurgaon.

• New Vande Bharat Express will cover the distance between Delhi Cantt and Ajmer in 5 hrs 15 mins.

• The fastest train on the same route, Shatabdi Express takes 6 hrs 15 mins from Delhi Cantt to Ajmer.

• Thus the new Vande Bharat Express will be 60 minutes faster than the existing fastest train running on the same route.

About Vande Bharat Express Train

• The first Vande Bharat Express was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15 February 2019.

• These trains have a self-propelled engine which can save diesel and reduce electricity usage by up to 30%.

• The first Vande Bharat Express was manufactured by Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai.

• It was manufactured under the ‘Make in India’ programme, at a cost of about Rs 100 crore.

• These trains can achieve a maximum speed of 160 kmph.

• In the Union Budget for 2022-2023 the government has proposed the development and manufacture of 400 new Vande Bharat trains in the next three years.