Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated five Vande Bharat Express trains from the Rani Kamalapati Railway Station in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Before the flagging-off ceremony, the Prime Minister interacted with train crew members and children on board one of the Vande Bharat trains at the Rani Kamalapati railway station.
The five Vande Bharat Express trains flagged off by the Prime Minister include the Rani Kamalapati-Jabalpur route, the Khajuraho-Bhopal-Indore route, the Madgaon (Goa)-Mumbai route, the Dharwad-Bengaluru route, and the Hatia-Patna route.
Present at the event were Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Governor Mangubhai C Patel, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishaw, and Jyotiraditya Schindia.
The Rani Kamalapati-Jabalpur Vande Bharat Express will connect the Mahakaushal region of Madhya Pradesh (Jabalpur) to the Central region (Bhopal). The train will operate at a speed of 130 kmph, making it approximately thirty minutes faster than the existing fastest train on the route.
The Khajuraho-Bhopal-Indore Vande Bharat Express will operate between the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh (Indore), Bundelkhand region (Khajuraho), and the Central region (Bhopal). The train is expected to reduce travel time by about two hours and thirty minutes compared to the fastest train currently operating on the route.
The Mumbai-Madgaon (Goa) Vande Bharat Express, Goa’s first semi-high speed train, will run between Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Madgaon station in Goa. The train will operate six days a week, excluding Fridays, and is anticipated to save approximately an hour of travel time compared to existing trains on the route.
The Dharwad-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express in Karnataka will connect major cities like Dharwad, Hubballi, Davangere, and Bengaluru. The train is expected to be approximately thirty minutes faster than the current fastest train on the route. This will be the second Vande Bharat train for Karnataka, with the first one running between Chennai, Bengaluru, and Mysuru.
The Hatia-Patna Vande Bharat Express will be the first Vande Bharat train for Jharkhand and Bihar. It is expected to enhance connectivity between Patna and Ranchi, benefiting tourists, students, and businessmen. The train will save around one hour and twenty-five minutes of travel time compared to the existing fastest train connecting the two cities.
Prime Minister Modi announced his visit to Bhopal via Twitter, expressing his participation in two programs. The inauguration of the five Vande Bharat trains was highlighted as an initiative to improve connectivity in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, Bihar, and Jharkhand.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant praised the launch of the first Vande Bharat Express in Goa, stating that it would enhance faster connectivity between Goa and Mumbai, thus boosting tourism and trade.
