The progress of Uttar Pradesh takes a transformative leap with the dynamic trio of Vande Bharat, Namo Bharat, and Amrit Bharat, promising to revolutionise the landscape of Indian Railways.
The Ministry of Railway in a tweet expressed elation at the significant milestone and shared a quote by Prime Minister Narendra Modi – “The trio-combination of Vande Bharat, Namo Bharat and Amrit Bharat will revolutionise the Indian Railways. What could be happier than plying of first Amrit Bharat via Ayodhya,” the tweet read, roughly translated from Hindi.
This combination underscores the commitment to modernising rail services and transportation, contributing to the state’s overall development and connectivity. PM Modi recently flagged off one Vande Bharat Express train and one Amrit Bharat Express train for Uttar Pradesh which pass via Ayodhya. The prime minister also inaugurated India’s first Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad. Here are the details –
Ayodhya-Anand Vihar Terminal Vande Bharat Express
Operated and maintained by the Northern Railway (NR) zone, this Vande Bharat Express train seamlessly shuttles between Ayodhya Cantonment and Anand Vihar Terminal (ANVT). Covering a distance of 629 km in a swift 8 hours and 20 minutes, it stands as the fastest train on this route, outpacing the Ayodhya Express and Kaifiyat Express, which take 10 hours and 55 minutes and 11 hours and 15 minutes, respectively, to cover the same distance.
Running on all days of the week except Wednesday, the ultra-modern train makes stops at Chipyana, Kanpur Central, and Lucknow railway stations during its journey. It comprises eight car coaches, including seven AC Chair Car and one Executive AC.
The Ayodhya Cantonment-Anand Vihar Terminal Vande Bharat Express departs from ANVT at 06:10 hrs, arriving at its destination by 14:30 hrs. Following a brief halt, the return journey to the national capital commences at 15:20 hrs, concluding at ANVT at 23:40 hrs.
Darbhanga to Anand Vihar Terminal via Ayodhya Amrit Bharat Express
Comprising 22 coaches, the Darbhanga-Anand Vihar Amrit Bharat Express offers a diverse range of accommodations. It includes eight general second-class coaches for unreserved passengers, twelve second-class 3-tier sleeper coaches, and two guard compartments.
Operating under the train number 15557, this express service is scheduled to depart from Darbhanga every Monday and Thursday at 3:00 PM. Its anticipated arrival at Anand Vihar Terminal station in Delhi is set for 12:35 PM the following day, encompassing a total travel time of 21 hours and 35 minutes.
The train will make stops at various stations, including Kamtul, Janakpur Road, Sitamarhi, Bairgania, Raxaul, Narkatiyaganj, Bagha, Kaptanganj, Gorakhpur, Basti, Mankapur, Ayodhya Dham, Lucknow, Kanpur Central, Etawah, Tundla, Aligarh Junction, and finally, Anand Vihar Terminal.
Regional Rapid Transit Systems (RRTS)
In October of the previous year, PM Modi inaugurated India’s first Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) and flagged off a high-speed Namo Bharat transit train capable of reaching speeds of 180 kmph. Subsequently, the 17-km priority section between Sahibabad and the Duhai Depot, a segment of the 82-km Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor, was opened for public use.
Notably, the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor, spanning 82 km, marks a pioneering initiative in India’s transit landscape, featuring 25 stations, including two depot stations, as highlighted by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC).
The next operationalized section of the RRTS corridor will cover the 25-km stretch between the Duhai depot and the Meerut South RRTS station, hosting four stations — Murad Nagar, Modi Nagar North, Modi Nagar South, and Meerut South. Currently, trial runs are underway on this section, marking the continuous progress of the ambitious RRTS project.