Mumbai: PM Narendra Modi likely to flag off Vande Bharat Express on Jan 19 or 20

Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to flag off the Vande Bharat Express from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSTM) railway station on January 19 or 20, sources said.

The train, which will ply between CSMT and Solapur, will be the second Vande Bharat Express of CR and Mumbai. Mumbai's first Vande Bharat Express between Mumbai Central and Gandhinagar, Gujarat, of the Western Railway was also flagged off by Mr Modi in Gandhinagar, in September 2022.

Officials said that the timetable of the CSMT- Solapur Vande Bharat Express is being finalised.

According to sources, earlier the train was to ply between Secunderabad and Visakhapatnam. However, it was later decided to run it from CSTM to Solapur. “The Vande Bharat rake which had reached Secunderabad is now heading towards Mumbai,” said a senior railway official, adding that it will likely reach Mumbai by Saturday.

"Every month, two Vande Bharat trains are being made at the Integral Coach Factory of Chennai, but from February three trains will be produced every month," said a railway official. Eight such trains have been dispatched from the factory to different railway zones.

The train can move from 0-100 km per hour in just 52 seconds and has a maximum speed of 180 km per hour. It will be eco-friendly as the ACs will be 15% more energy efficient. With dust-free clean air cooling of the traction motor, travel will be more comfortable. A side recliner seat facility, which was provided only to executive class passengers earlier will now be made available for all classes. The executive coaches have the added feature of 180-degree rotating seats.