Vande Bharat Express news: Big plans for flagship train in Rajasthan, these cities to get after Jaipur-Delhi

With Rs 30 crore dedicated, the Jaipur-Delhi Vande Bharat Express train is likely to start running in the next few months. However, the state capital will not be the only city getting the flagship semi-high speed train. The North Western Railway aims to bring the Vande Bharat train to at least five other cities by September this year.

Union Budget 2023 provided the North Western Railway with a 28 percent bigger budget of Rs 8636.85 crore in the next financial year. It proposes to start operation of Vande Bharat train in Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Kota, Sriganganagar and Udaipur by September 2023.

As per latest reports, Railways has allocated 5 chair car rakes of Vande Bharat for Rajasthan. Out of these two Vande Bharat rakes are for Jaipur. One each rake is for Udaipur, Sriganganagar and Madar. The Jaipur-Delhi train will cut down travel time for passengers from four to two hours.

The 30 crore fund for “Vande Bharat services” will be utilised for the installation of “high-rise panto overhead the rakes” of the train. These are needed on many of the routes falling under the railway zone, NWR GM Vijay Sharma was quoted as saying. He added that upgradation is also required in coach depots to be used for the maintenance of premium rakes which will commence soon.

Reports also suggest that Rajasthan could get Vande Bharat sleeper class service in the future. Railways also plans to improve infrastructure at some major railway stations in Rajasthan including Jaipur, Jodhpur and Gandhinagar (Jaipur). 

READ | New Jaipur-Delhi Vande Bharat Express likely to get a Gurgaon stop, details inside

(Inputs from PTI)