Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off two Vande Bharat Express trains from Maharashtra on Friday afternoon.
The trains will operate on the popular tourist route between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT)-Shirdi and CSMT-Solapur.
The Vande Bharat train is expected to complete the journey between CSMT and Shirdi in 5.50 hours as against the present 6 hours while between CSMT and Solapur, the journey will be completed in 6.30 hours against the present 7.55 hours.
Shirdi is a pilgrimage site in Maharashtra and is popular among tourists.
Vande Bharat Express will travel through the western ghats in Maharashtra which is known to have steep railway stretches and additional locomotives are required for the outstation trains. However, during the trial runs the semi-high-speed trains operated without any assistance of an additional locomotive.
The train that can accommodate over 1,000 passengers will have 16 coaches and can be operated at a speed of 160 kmph. “The trains will be a boon for passengers particularly travelling to Shirdi,” said a senior Central Railway official.
Central Railway had planned to operate the Vande Bharat Express between Mumbai and Shirdi in 2019 in a bid to get passengers on the route that travel by road.
| Fare | Shirdi-Mumbai | Solapur-Mumbai |
|---|---|---|
| Chair car without catering | ₹840 | ₹1,010 |
| Executive chair car without catering | ₹1,670 | ₹2,015 |
| Chair car with catering | ₹1,130 | ₹1,150 |
| Executive chair car with catering | ₹2,020 | ₹2,185 |