NEW DELHI: Five more Vande Bharat trains are set to hit the tracks as part of Indian Railways' expansion plan. These new trains will operate on various routes connecting key cities, including Delhi to Katra, Delhi to Ayodhya via Lucknow, Delhi to Chandigarh, Bengaluru to Coimbatore, and Mangalore to Goa.

The expected launch of these semi-high speed trains is scheduled for December 30, 2023, and Prime Minister Modi is expected to inaugurate them. During the event, PM Modi plans to initiate the Ayodhya-Anand Vihar, New Delhi-Vaishno Devi, Amritsar-New Delhi, Jalna-Mumbai, and Coimbatore-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express trains.

Following Varanasi, Katra will become the second city to operate two Vande Bharat trains. Additionally, PM Modi is set to flag off the Delhi-Darbhanga and Malda-Bengaluru Amrit Bharat trains.

Simultaneously, on December 30, the inauguration of Ayodhya Airport is planned, although the flights will commence operation from January 5, 2024.

In a significant move to enhance safety measures, Indian Railways is strategizing to elevate the speed of Vande Bharat trains to operate within the range of 110 kmph to 130 kmph. While these trains can reach speeds up to 160 kmph, current technical and infrastructure constraints have limited their maximum speed.

The Railways' plan includes the installation of safety fencing at vulnerable locations. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha that safety fencing will be mandatory at locations requiring speeds above 110 kmph to 130 kmph, and it will be installed along the entire track for speeds exceeding 130 kmph as a basic safety standard.

Railways Set to Expand Vande Bharat Express Services Across Multiple Routes

Vande Bharat Express Trains Now Operate on THESE 34 Routes Across India, Check Full List