New Delhi: The Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnav approved the new route for Vande Bharat sleeper train. This train service would be between Bengaluru and Mumbai and this would be an overnight journey. The move marks an important milestone in the development of high-speed rail network and improvement in railway infrastructure in the country.
Union Railway Minister confirmed new route in letter to party colleague
One must note that the announcement comes after Vaishnav confirmed the start of the Vande Bharat sleeper train, between KSR Bengaluru Railway Station and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai, in a letter to BJP’s PC Mohan.
The announcement of the new route for Vande Bharat, comes nearly 3 months after the launch of the Kamakhya-Howrah Vande Bharat sleeper train. This train has huge occupancy and is in huge demand from passengers.
According to a report in mathrubhumi.com, this train between Bengaluru and Mumbai is part of the government’s efforts to launch at least 12 sleeper Vande Bharat trains, across the country till the end of this year, i.e. December 2026. The Centre is planning to improve long-distance rail connectivity, through these new high-speed trains.
Modern amenities for passengers in Vande Bharat sleeper trains
Meanwhile in his letter to the BJP MP, Vaishnav stated that the new sleeper Vande Bharat train has been approved after discussions regarding improving intercity connectivity and also around improving passenger convenience. This train is expected to be equipped with all modern facilities and offer a luxury travel experience, besides reducing travel time between the 2 metropolitans.
Sources quoted by mathrubhumi.com said that the train is expected to run via Pune, Solapur, Kalaburagi, Raichur and Guntakal. This route is currently taken by Udyan Express, which runs between Mumbai and Bengaluru.
First Vande Bharat train in India
The first Vande Bharat train was launched in India in 2019. It ran between New Delhi and Varanasi. Over the years, the popularity of the train grew and the government launched several more Vande Bharat trains, covering new routes and destinations.
The India Railways reported carrying 9.1 crore passengers and completing 1 lakh trips. This shows that the Railways has been growing year by year, as far as passenger volume and trips is concerned.