In a first, two eight-coach Vande Bharat express trains were inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for South India on Saturday. The trains – between Secunderabad and Tirupati, Chennai and Coimbatore – have eight coaches against the usual 16.
The prime minister first inaugurated the Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat at Secunderabad railway station in Hyderabad. This train, connecting IT city Hyderabad with the abode of Venkateswara in Tirupati, is the second Vande Bharat train from Telangana. The state got its first Vande Bharat in January.
According to the Ministry of Railways, the Secunderabad-Tirupati train will reduce the travel time between the two cities by almost three hours and 30 minutes. It will be particularly beneficial for pilgrims.
The train will have stops at Nalgonda, Guntur, Ongole and Nellore. The journey between Secunderabad and Tirupati costs Rs 1,680 for a chair car and Rs 3,080 for the executive class. The Vande Bharat will run for six days, except Tuesday. The eight-coach Vande Bharats have a seating capacity of 530.
The next fastest train between the two stations is the Kacheguda-Chengalpattu Express (17652) that takes 10.35 hours between the stations and costs Rs 960 for third AC. It runs all week.
The ministry said this Vande Bharat ran through 10 districts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, covering a distance of 661 km.
“This is the first of its kind aesthetically designed semi-high speed, well equipped fully AC service running between Secunderabad and Tirupati. The train can attain a maximum speed of 130 kmph between Tenali and Gudur,” the ministry said.
Later in the day, around 4.20 pm, Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the Chennai-Coimbatore Vande Bharat. News18 was on board as well. This train, according to the ministry, is connecting the “Manchester of South India” Coimbatore with Chennai, the Tamil Nadu capital. With this, the total number of Vande Bharats in India has reached 13.
“The Vande Bharat will cover the distance of 495 km between the two cities in 5 hours and 50 minutes,” the ministry added.
This Vande Bharat will have stops at Salem, Erode and Tiruppur, and will run six days a week except Wednesday. The chair car will cost Rs 1,365 while the cost of executive class will be Rs 2,485.
The Trivandrum Mail (12623), which runs all week, costs Rs 835 for third AC and completes the journey in six hours and 53 minutes. The Chennai-Coimbatore Shatabdi (12243) takes 7 hours and five minutes to complete the journey and the chair car costs Rs 1,370 while the executive class is for Rs 2,085.
The ministry said the Chennai-Coimbatore Vande Bharat will benefit students, IT professionals and business class travellers, especially from textile and industrial units in and around Coimbatore, Salem, Erode and Tiruppur.
“This is the first-of-its-kind premium day train service originating from Coimbatore in the morning hours (Shatabdi originates from Chennai in the morning hours). This will immensely benefit passengers bound for Chennai from Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode and Salem,” officials said.
This is the second time in two months that the PM has flagged off two Vande Bharats in one day. In February, he inaugurated two Vande Bharats from Mumbai for Solapur and Shirdi.
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