COUNTRY’S 1ST SEMI HIGH-SPEED TRAIN VANDE BHARAT EXPRESS LEAVES DELHI FOR VARANASI ON FIRST COMMERCIAL RUN

Context:

  • Country’s first semi high speed train Vande Bharat Express left Delhi for Varanasi this morning on its first commercial run. Tickets of the train have already been sold out for the next two weeks.
  • The train, which has been designed and built in India, is running between New Delhi and Varanasi via Kanpur and Prayagraj. It will cover the distance between New Delhi and Varanasi in eight hours.
  • The train will run on all days except Monday and Thursday. The Prime Minister had flagged off the train from the New Delhi Railway station on Friday.

Train 18:

  • It is capable of touching 200 kmph provided the rest of Indian Railways’ system such as tracks and signals permit. It will be replacing current 30- year-old Shatabdi Express – a day train. Thus, it is touted as next generation Shatabdi Express.
  • It will be first long-distance train without separate locomotive (engine).
  • It has been indigenously developed by Chennai based Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in just short time span of 18 months. It took investment of nearly Rs 100 crore to build this prototype and subsequent bulk production will bring down the cost.
  • Thus, it will be cheaper compared to imported engine less train. With 16 coaches, it will have same passenger carrying capacity as that of Shatabdi Express.
  • It has aerodynamically designed driver cabins at both ends for quicker turn-around at destinations. It sports advanced regenerative braking system which saves power.
  • It is fully air-conditioned and offers better passenger comfort and safety, as all equipment are fixed under carriage, so that more space is available on board. It has soft lighting, automatic doors, footsteps and GPS-based Passenger Information System (PIS).
  • It also has onboard Wi-Fi and infotainment, and modular toilets with bio-vacuum systems. Footstep in coach’s doorway in this train slides outward when train stops at station, enabling passengers to board or deboard safely with comfort.

 

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