New Delhi, Apr 27 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off weekly operations of two new Amrit Bharat Express trains from Banaras to Hadapsar in Pune and Ayodhya to Lokmanya Tilak Terminus in Mumbai on Tuesday.
“The Banaras-Hadapsar (Pune) service will facilitate easier access to Kashi Vishwanath Dham, while the Ayodhya-Mumbai service will improve connectivity to the Shri Ram Mandir Teerth Kshetra, strengthening links between key religious destinations,” a press note from the Railway Ministry said on Monday.
It added, “The trains are expected to particularly benefit daily passengers, migrant workers, and pilgrims travelling between Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, providing direct connectivity and eliminating the need to change trains.” According to the Ministry, Amrit Bharat Express trains have been designed for the common man, offering a blend of comfort, convenience, and affordability, marking another step towards inclusive and accessible rail travel in the country.
Originating from Banaras, the train will cover important stations such as Prayagraj, which is home to the Triveni Sangam and the Kumbh Mela; Jhansi, known as the gateway to one of India’s most storied tourism circuits; Bhopal which is the state’s administrative capital with a growing IT and pharma presence; Manmad and Kopargaon, which together serve as the primary rail gateway to Shirdi before terminating at Hadapsar, Pune’s fastest-growing suburb.
“The inaugural run of Banaras–Hadapsar (Pune) Amrit Bharat Express will start from Banaras in the evening and will terminate at Hadapsar (Pune) late at night on the following day, completing the journey in approximately 30 hours,” the Ministry said.
It added, “The train will make 18 stops, including Gyanpur Road, Prayagraj, Fatehpur, Govindpuri, Orai, Virangana Lakshmibai Jhansi, Bina, Rani Kamlapati, Narmadapuram, Itarsi, Harda, Khandwa, Bhusaval, Jalgaon, Manmad, Kopargaon, Ahilyanagar, Daund, and Hadapsar.” Talking about Ayodhya-Mumbai Amrit Bharat train, the Ministry stated that a direct, affordable train from Ayodhya to Lokmanya Tilak Terminus – Mumbai’s busiest long-distance terminal and the arrival point for millions of North Indian travellers – does not just connect two cities, it reconnects people to their roots, reduces the cost of staying in touch with home, and gives one of India’s hardest-working migrant communities something they have quietly deserved for a long time.
“The inaugural run of Ayodhya-Mumbai (Lokmanya Tilak Terminus) Amrit Bharat Express will start from Ayodhya Cantt in the evening and will terminate at Mumbai LTT late in the evening on the following day, completing the journey in approximately 28 hours,” the press note said.
It added, “The train will make 12 stops, including Ayodhya Cantt, Sultanpur, M B D Pratapgarh, Prayagraj Jn, Manikpur Jn, Satna, Jabalpur, Itarsi Jn, Bhusaval Jn, Jalgaon Jn, Nasik Road, Kalyan Jn, Thane, and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus.” Officials said that after the inaugural run, the Ministry will announce the scheduled operations of these two trains very soon.
At present, 30 Amrit Bharat trains are offering 60 services, and with the launch of these two new trains, the total number of operational Amrit Bharat Express train services will rise to 64.
Out of the existing 60 operations, one pair of Amrit Bharat trains, numbers 22361 and 22362, operate daily between Rajendranagar (Patna) and New Delhi. The rest operate either weekly, bi-weekly, or tri-weekly.
Fares of the Amrit Bharat trains are approximately 15 to 17 per cent higher than those of regular Mail and Express trains.
The Railway Ministry has justified the higher fares by citing features such as higher speed, improved safety standards, better aesthetics of seats and berths (similar to Vande Bharat Sleeper), jerk-free travel, CCTV in all coaches, improved toilet designs, and better ladder designs for easier access to berths. PTI JP JP HIG HIG
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.