Patna, June 20: The 71st Vande Bharat train of the country flagged off virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Siwan on Friday will reduce travel time between Patliputra and Gorakhpur by at least two hours offering a convenient journey for commuters, the Railway Ministry said.
The train’s inaugural run began around 1 pm on Friday from Patliputra station in Patna amid cheers and celebrations.
The Railway Ministry has not announced a date for its commercial run but according to a recent notification, it will begin from Gorakhpur at 5.40 am and arrive in Patliputra by 12.45 pm. In its return journey, it will start from Patliputra at 3.30 pm on the same day to reach Gorakhpur by 10.30 at night.
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“This train is a gift from Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi for the people of Bihar as it will not only save travel time by two hours as compared to the available means of transport but will also offer world-class amenities to commuters,” Sanjiv Chaurasia, local BJP MLA, said.
“The Vande Bharat train is the country’s pride as it has LED display panels to inform commuters about the train’s speed, current and upcoming stations etc; bio vacuum toilets, advanced safety system Kavach and quick acceleration and deceleration for fast travel,” he further said.
According to the Railway Ministry, the train will run six days a week except Saturdays and it will cover stations both in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
Some of the stations are Hajipur, Muzaffarpur, Bapudham Motihari, Sagauli, Bettiah, Narkatiaganj and Bagaha among others.
“Including Patliputra-Gorakhpur Vande Bharat, there are a total 28 such trains operational in Bihar as well as Uttar Pradesh,” Dilip Kumar, Executive Director, Information & Publicity, Railway Board, said.
“After the first Vande Bharat, which was flagged off by the Hon’ble PM on Feb 15, 2019, this Patliputra-Gorakhpur one is the 71st. Today Vande Bharat trains cover 24 states/Union Territories and 330 districts,” he said.
Before this train, PM Modi recently flagged off two Vande Bharat trains between Katra and Srinagar.
Officials said Vande Bharat trains can run up to 160 kmph but due to speed restriction of 130 kmph across all rail networks, the country is yet to get its speed benefits.
“Similar is the case with the Kavach system which can stop the train automatically if the loco pilot fails to apply the brake. Since other Kavach components such as station Kavach and trackside equipment etc are not in place, we are yet to leverage its crucial feature,” a railway official said.
“Since Kavach installation is going on at a rapid speed in the country, we are hoping that passengers start getting advantages of these safety devices very soon,” he added. (PTI)
