New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday flagged off Rajasthan's first Vande Bharat Express via a videoconference, which will run on the Ajmer-Delhi Cantonment route.
The train will arrive an hour earlier than the current fastest train on the route, According to a press release by the prime minister's office (PMO).
The first run will connect Jaipur and Delhi Cantonment. Regular services between Ajmer and Delhi Cantonment will begin on Thursday, with stops in Jaipur, Alwar, and Gurugram.
The newest Vande Bharat Express is scheduled to complete the journey between Delhi Cantt. and Ajmer in 5 hours and 15 minutes, making it 60 minutes faster than the current fastest train on the same route, the Shatabdi Express, which takes 6 hours and 15 minutes.
The Ajmer-Delhi Cantt. Vande Bharat Express will be the world's first semi-high-speed passenger train to operate on high-rise overhead electric (OHE) territory. The Train is equipped with state-of-the-art features and amenities to ensure a comfortable and convenient travel experience for passengers.
Aims To Boost Region's Tourism
The train will improve the connectivity to major tourist destinations in Rajasthan, including Pushkar and the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, among other places that draw visitors in bulk around the year.
Enhanced connectivity will also provide a boost to socio-economic development in the region.
The Vande Bharat Express service in Rajasthan is a significant advancement towards modernising India's railway system and promoting the country's 'Make in India' initiative. The train is proof of India's engineering prowess and technological progress. This new addition to India's railway network will provide passengers travelling between Rajasthan's major tourist destinations with a comfortable fast mode of transportation, as well as serve as a symbol of the country's rapid development.
Earlier on April 8, prime minister Narendra Modi flagged off the latest edition of the indigenously manufactured high-speed train at Secunderabad railway station. Passengers on the inaugural Vande Bharat Express from Secunderabad to Tirupati were taken aback by the train's cutting-edge amenities.