PM Modi flags off Amritsar-Delhi Vande Bharat Express train

Amritsar, December 30

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today virtually flagged off Amritsar-Delhi Vande Bharat Express. The first Vande Bharat train to be given to Punjab will commence regular service (six days a week) from January 6.

Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Minister of State Som Parkash, Amritsar MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla, former Rajya Sabha MP Shwait Malik and others were present on the occasion at the Amritsar railway station.

The eight-coach train having 530 seats, including 44 executive, will depart at 8:05 am from Amritsar and reach the Old Delhi railway station at 1:30 pm

The return journey will commence in the afternoon and reach Amritsar at 8:40 pm. The train will halt for only two minutes in Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Ambala. It will reduce the commuting time between Amritsar and Delhi by around 30 minutes.

In Jalandhar, the BJP and AAP staked their claim over the stoppage of Vande Bharat Express. Posters of both parties were seen at the Jalandhar Cantonment railway station.

Experts said Vande Bharat Express had been designed to operate at 160 kmph, however, the maximum speed recorded was less than 100 kmph.