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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday flagged off the country's first Vande Bharat sleeper train between Howrah and Guwahati (Kamakhya) from Malda Town station in north Bengal. He also virtually flagged off the return GuwahatiHowrah Vande Bharat sleeper train from here. Developed to meet the growing transportation needs of modern India, the fully AC Vande Bharat sleeper train would offer passengers an airline-like travel experience at economical fares, a statement issued by the PMO stated. The train will make long-distance journeys faster, safer, and more convenient, it said. "By significantly reducing travel time by around 2.5 hours on the Howrah Guwahati route, the train will also give a major boost to religious travel and tourism, the statement added. Later at a public programme in Malda, the PM is scheduled to dedicate to the nation, and lay the foundation stone of multiple rail and road infrastructure projects, worth Rs 3,250 crore, aimed at strengthening connectivity and
An Assam-based luxury hospitality brand has secured the catering contract for India's first Vande Bharat Sleeper Train, marking a first for a Northeast-based hospitality firm to bring its curated cuisine onboard the premium overnight service. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to flag off the train between Howrah and Guwahati (Kamakhya) from Malda Town station in north Bengal. Mayfair Spring Valley Resort on Saturday said it has partnered with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) as the official caterer for the train. Under the arrangement, passengers will be served a range of traditional West Bengal and Assam dishes prepared using locally sourced ingredients, a statement said. The menu includes items such as basanti pulao, cholar and moong dal, chanar and dhokar preparations, Assamese joha rice, mati mohor and masoor dali, seasonal vegetable bhajis, and regional sweets like sandesh, coconut burfi and rasgulla. The resort informed that the onboard men
State-owned engineering firm Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) on Thursday said that it has started the supply of semi-high-speed underslung traction transformers for the Vande Bharat sleeper train project from its Jhansi plant. BHEL, in a statement, said the supply of underslung traction transformers for the prestigious Vande Bharat Sleeper Train project is a significant milestone in its 'Make in India' initiatives. Vande Bharat Sleeper Train project is being executed by a BHEL-led consortium with TRSL. A flag-off ceremony was held at BHEL's Jhansi plant. Earlier, traction converters for the same project were flagged off from BHEL's Bengaluru plant. This development further strengthens BHEL's strategic entry into the semi-high-speed propulsion segment, with an operational speed of up to 160 kmph and a design speed of 180 kmph. Traction transformers are being dispatched to Kolkata for final assembly of the Vande Bharat sleeper trains. In addition, another key propulsion system
Indian Railways has achieved a significant milestone in its journey towards self-reliant rail technology with the successful completion of the final high-speed trial of the indigenously designed Vande Bharat sleeper train, ministry officials said on Wednesday. "The trial, conducted under the supervision of the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), took place on the Kota-Nagda section, where the train achieved a maximum speed of 180 kmph," it added, without specifying a new date for its launch. The Vande Bharat sleeper train has missed several launch deadlines in the past. In mid-November, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that this train would be launched in December 2025. Vaishnaw shared a video of the safety trial on his social media handle X on December 30, showcasing a water-glass stability demonstration, in which glasses filled with water remained steady without spillage even at high speed. "Vande Bharat Sleeper tested today by the Commissioner of Railway Safety, ran at 1
The Ernakulam-KSR Bengaluru Vande Bharat, one of the four trains that Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off on Saturday, is the first inter-state semi-high-speed premium train service linking Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, the Southern Railways said. Since it links three states, the train will boost business and tourism, officials said. The eight-coach train traverses major cities of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, including Thrissur, Palakkad, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Salem, before reaching Krishnarajapuram and KSR Bengaluru. It is the third Vande Bharat train that originates from Kerala. "KSR Bengaluru-Ernakulam Vande Bharat Express will provide seamless connectivity between Ernakulam, the commercial capital of Kerala and the cosmopolitan city of Bengaluru," a press note from Southern Railway said. "The existing two Vande Bharat services, between Kasaragod and Thiruvananthapuram (via Kottayam), and Thiruvananthapuram and Mangaluru Central (via Alappuzha) intertwine the southern
The Ministry of Railways has announced the schedule for the new BengaluruKochi Vande Bharat Express, which is set to commence operations soon. According to a notification issued by the Railway Board on Friday, train number 26651 KSR BengaluruErnakulam Junction Vande Bharat Express will depart from Bengaluru at 5.10 am and reach Ernakulam Junction at 1.50 pm. The return service, 26652 Ernakulam JunctionKSR Bengaluru, will leave Ernakulam at 2.20 pm and arrive in Bengaluru at 11 pm. The train will have stops at Krishnarajapuram, Salem, Erode, Tiruppur, Coimbatore, Palakkad, and Thrissur. The ministry has instructed the Southern Railway and South Western Railway zones to introduce the service at the earliest possible date. If required, the inaugural train may be operated as a special service which shall pick up its respective link subsequently, the notification said. This will be the third Vande Bharat Express service in Kerala, after the ThiruvananthapuramKasaragod and ...
The Vande Bharat train service between Katra and Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir will start commercial operations from June 7, the Northern Railway said on Thursday. The train will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) platform will start reflecting these trains for prospective passengers to book tickets after the inauguration, an official said. According to Northern Railway, two Vande Bharat train sets will make four trips during the day between Katra and Srinagar. "It has two travelling classes Chair Car (CC) and Executive Class (EC) with tickets costing Rs 715 and Rs 1,320 respectively," an official from the Northern Railway said. The first train will commence from Katra at 8:10 am and reach Srinagar at 11:08 am. The same train will return in the afternoon from Srinagar at 2 PM and reach Katra at 4:58 pm. This train service will not be available on Tuesday. Another train will start from Katra at 2:55