Delhi trip in under 3 hrs! Chandigarh gets Vande Bharat
Chandigarh, October 12
Travel time between Chandigarh and Delhi is set to reduce to under three hours with the launch of Vande Bharat Express, which will run between the national capital and Amb Andaura (HP) via the UT six days a week from October 19.
The inaugural run of the semi-high speed indigenously built train will be flagged off by Prime Minister Narender Modi at the Una Railway Station in Himachal Pradesh on Thursday.
After leaving the Chandigarh Railway Station, the train, having 16 coaches, will make a single two-minute, halt, at Ambala Cantonment before it heads to New Delhi.
Equipped with the state-of-the-art safety features for the convenience of commuters, the train will benefit people of the tricity, especially those who travel between Delhi and Chandigarh for work.
The train will not only make the journey comfortable, but also faster, taking around two hours and 50 minutes for a one-way trip, over half an hour shy of the time taken by Shatabdi Express. The fastest train currently on the section takes around three-and-a-half hours for a trip from Delhi to Chandigarh.
While the regular operations will start from October 19, its fare is yet to be announced. The train will run six days a week barring Wednesdays.
It will leave Chandigarh at 3.30 pm and halt at Ambala Cantt before reaching Delhi at 6.25 pm. Similarly, it will leave Delhi at 5.50 am and reach Chandigarh at 8.40 am with a brief stopover at Ambala. The train will make a five-minute halt in the UT before leaving for Delhi or Una. At present, it will run at an average speed of 78 km per hour.
The introduction of the train will help boost tourism in the region and provide a comfortable and faster mode of travel. Several changes have been made to the new Vande Bharat trains to make travel safer and more comfortable. The train has been fitted with reclining seats besides an automatic fire sensor. In addition, CCTV cameras have been installed.
Half an hour quicker than Shatabdi
- It will cut travel time from UT to national capital by half an hour. Shatabdi takes three-and-a-half hours for Chandigarh-Delhi trip
- The train will run from HP’s Amb Andaura to Delhi with halts at Una, Sri Anandpur Sahib, Chandigarh and Ambala
Mohali halt sought
Mohali MC Deputy Mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi has written to PM Narendra Modi seeking a Vande Bharat Express halt at Mohali. Bedi said it would offer better connectivity to people as well as boost industry, he said.
