NE NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, JAN 15
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday virtually flagged-off the 8th Vande Bharat train service between Secunderabad in Telangana and the port city of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh on the auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti.
The first Vande Bharat Express train to operate between the two Telugu states will run between Secunderabad and Visakhapatnam in eight hours and 30 minutes.
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As the event coincided with the Army Day, the Prime Minister paid rich tributes to the serving and retired personnel and hailed their commitment in protecting the country and its borders and said their valour was matchless.
Thank you Hon'ble @PMOIndia Shri @narendramodi Ji, for gifting #VandeBharat to the people of #Telangana and #AndhraPradesh.#ThankUModi4VandeBharat @RailMinIndia pic.twitter.com/PxQ8InRvkw
— Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan (மோடியின் குடும்பம் ) (@DrTamilisai4BJP) January 15, 2023
In his virtual address, Modi said Vande Bharat connects the cultures of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
“Vande Bharat is a symbol of New India’s capability and resolve”, the Prime Minister continued, “It is a symbol of that India which has chosen the path of rapid development.” The Prime Minister highlighted that the train reflects an India which is eager towards its dreams and aspirations, an India that wants to achieve its goal, an India that strives for excellence, an India that wants to deliver the best to its citizens, and an India that has broken the shackles of the mentality of slavery and heading towards atmanirbharta, ” the PM said.
Picturesque!
Glimpses of the #VandeBharat Express passing through the serene green landscape of Raigiri Curve, Telangana. pic.twitter.com/tHqmKRRJax
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) January 15, 2023
The Prime Minister pointed out the exceptional work that has been done regarding railways in Telangana, in the last 8 years. He informed that 8 years prior to 2014, Telangana had a budget of less than Rs 250 crore for the Railways but today it has increased to Rs 3000 crore. He informed that many areas of Telangana like Medak are now connected by rail service for the first time. He also noted that less than 125 kilometres of new rail lines were built in Telangana in the 8 years before 2014, while about 325 kilometres of new rail lines in Telangana in the last years. He also informed that the work of ‘track multi-tracking’ of more than 250 kilometres has also been done in Telangana and added that the electrification of railway tracks in the state has gone up 3 times during this electrification period. “Very soon we are going to complete the electrification work on all broad gauge routes in Telangana”, the Prime Minister informed.
The Prime Minister observed that the Vande Bharat is also connected to Andhra Pradesh from one end and informed that the Central Government is continuously working to strengthen the rail network in Andhra Pradesh. Highlighting the efforts of the Central Government to boost the Ease of Living as well as the Ease of Doing Business, the Prime Minister noted that in the past years, the construction of 350 kilometres of new railway lines and about 800 kilometres of multi-tracking has been completed in Andhra Pradesh. Compared to pre-2014, he observed that only 60 kilometres of railway tracks were electrified annually in Andhra Pradesh during the previous government and informed that this speed has now increased to more than 220 kilometres annually.
The regular services of the train would start on January 16 and the bookings commenced on Saturday, railway sources said.
The Visakhapatnam Secunderabad Vande Bharat Express (20833) will start at 05.45 am and reach Secunderabad at 2.15 pm
It will leave Secunderabad at 3 pm and reach Visakhapatnam at 11.30 pm. In between, the train will stop at Rajahmundry, Vijayawada, Khammam and Warangal in both the directions, South Central Railway (SCR) officials said.
The train comprises 14 AC Chair Car Coaches and two Executive AC Chair Car Coaches with a capacity of 1,128 passengers. It will provide the fastest travelling facility between these two stations and has exclusive reserved sitting accommodation, they said.
The train is manufactured with indigenous technology, equipped with modern features and enhanced comfort. The train has automatic sliding doors, provided with reclining seats in all classes and rotating seats in executive class, they said.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Tourism and Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy, Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan were present at the Secunderabad railway station here during the inauguration.
