Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday flagged off three Vande Bharat trains via video conferencing and said that the expansion of Vande Bharat trains reflects our nation's progress towards the goal of Viksit Bharat with modernity and speed.
The three routes on which PM Modi flagged off trains are Meerut - Lucknow, Madurai - Bengaluru and Chennai - Nagercoil.
Speaking on the occasion, PM Modi said, "Today, from the north to the south, another chapter is being added to the country's journey of development. The expansion of Vande Bharat trains reflects our nation's progress towards the goal of a developed India with modernity and speed. These trains have provided connectivity to important religious places in the country. The Temple City of Madurai is now directly connected to the IT City of Bengaluru via Vande Bharat. This train will also prove beneficial for pilgrims."
"On the Chennai-Nagercoil route, students, farmers, and IT professionals will greatly benefit. Wherever the convenience of Vande Bharat has reached, the number of tourists has increased, which means that there has been a rise in the income of businesses and shopkeepers. New employment opportunities are also being created in our region," he added.
This new Chennai-Nagercoil Vande Bharat train service will connect Chennai to Nagercoil, covering a distance of 724 kilometres in under nine hours.
The train will depart from Chennai Egmore at 5:00 AM and arrive in Nagercoil at 1:50 PM. The train is scheduled to depart Nagercoil at 2:20 PM and arrive at Chennai Egmore around 11:00 PM on the return route.
The train will stop at a number of important stations before arriving at its destination, including Tambaram, Tiruchy, Dindigul, Madurai, Kovilpatti, and Tirunelveli.
The cost of a chair car class ticket for those wishing to go from Chennai to Nagercoil is anticipated to be between Rs 1,650 and Rs 1,700, providing a convenient and swift means of transportation for customers.
(With inputs from ANI)
