PM flags off South India's 1st Mysuru-Chennai Vande Bharat train
What's the story
Southern India got its first and country's fifth semi-high-speed Vande Bharat train. Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the train on Friday. Although it was inaugurated at the KSR Bengaluru station, the train will run from Mysuru to Chennai via Bengaluru. It is said to cover a distance of around 500 kilometers in 6 hours and 30 minutes.
Context
Why does this story matter?
In 2019, Indian Railways named the country's first indigenously built engine-less train, Train 18, as Vande Bharat Express, acknowledging its Make in India status. The first train under the initiative plies between Delhi and PM Modi's constituency, Varanasi. The train is the first engine-less train manufactured in the country and also the fastest train after hitting 180 km/h speed in a trial run.
Fare
Fare Rs. 1,200 for chair car with only 2 stops
During the journey from Chennai to Mysuru, the train will have only two stops — at Katpadi and Bengaluru. For Chennai to Mysuru, the fare for the entire route in a chair car will cost Rs. 1,200, while for executive class, it is Rs. 2,295. For Mysuru to Chennai, passengers will have to pay Rs. 1,365 and Rs. 2,486 for the two classes.
Twitter Post
Watch: PM Modi flags off train
#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi flags off Vande Bharat Express at KSR railway station in Bengaluru, Karnataka
— ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2022
(Source: DD) pic.twitter.com/sOF45cOwAX
Features
Bengaluru to Chennai in 3 hours!
Regular operations of the train will begin on Saturday. A railway official said, if running at full capacity, the train can cover Bengaluru to Chennai in three hours. The train was developed by Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, and comes with an intelligent braking system — apart from automatic doors, GPS-based audio-visual passenger information system, Wi-Fi, and comfortable seats, PTI reported.
Twitter Post
The to and fro fares are different
Friends, the good news is here again - the bookings for the Vande Bharat Express from Chennai to Mysuru have begun. Bookings can be made from the IRCTC website. Contrary to perception, on certain segments, it can be seen that the ticket fare is cheaper than Shatabdi! #VandeBharat pic.twitter.com/VXxQhLaeV9
— Ananth Rupanagudi (@Ananth_IRAS) November 10, 2022
Accidents
Four accidents in a month
In the last month, Vande Bharat trains have met with four accidents. One of the four currently-operational trains, running on the Gandhinagar-Mumbai route, mowed down a 54-year-old woman while she was crossing railway tracks near Anand railway station in Gujarat on Tuesday. Last month, the train hit a herd of buffaloes, and later a cow in Gujarat, damaging the front part of the engine.