Goa, Bihar, Jharkhand get their first Vande Bharat trains
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday flagged off five Vande Bharat Express trains from Rani Kamlapati Railway Station in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The latest launch has provided Goa, Bihar, and Jharkhand with their first-ever Vande Bharat trains. The five new routes are Bhopal-Jabalpur, Khajuraho-Bhopal-Indore, Goa-Mumbai, Dharwad-Bengaluru, and Hatia-Patna. With the new additions, the total number of Vande Bharat trains has now reached 23.
Watch: Modi flags off Vande Bharat trains
MP now has 3 Vande Bharat trains
The Bhopal-Jabalpur Vande Bharat train would be faster by about 30 minutes compared to the existing fastest train on the route. Meanwhile, the Khajuraho-Bhopal-Indore Vande Bharat train would be about two hours and 30 minutes faster than the current fastest train. Notably, Madhya Pradesh's first Vande Bharat train was launched for the Delhi-Bhopal route.
Goa-Mumbai train launch was canceled after Odisha accident
The Goa-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express will run between Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Goa's Madgaon station. To note, its launch was scheduled a day after the Odisha train accident but was later canceled. The train would cover the distance in around seven and a half hours, which will help save about one hour of journey time.
Jharkhand, Bihar's first Vande Bharat train to connect both states
The Dharwad-Bengaluru Vande Bharat train, which will have key stoppages at Hubballi and Devangere, will cover the distance about 30 minutes faster as compared to the existing fastest train. Meanwhile, the Hatia-Patna Vande Bharat train will run between Jharkhand's Hatia and Bihar's Patna. It would save about one hour and 25 minutes of journey time.