Bengaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that the Vande Bharat Sleeper train service between Bengaluru and Mumbai would be a game changer in improving rail connectivity between the two major cities.
In a statement following the flagging off of the Vande Bharat Sleeper train service in Bengaluru, Prime Minister Modi noted that the new service marked another step towards improving railway connectivity from Bengaluru, the country’s technology and innovation hub.
He said the train would benefit Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, particularly youngsters, IT professionals and students.
The Prime Minister said the new service would provide better connectivity between Bengaluru and Mumbai, facilitating travel for people across the three states.
PM Modi also shared the video of the event with a social media post.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday flagged off the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express connecting Bengaluru and Mumbai from Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT) here on the occasion of Kannada Rajyotsava.
Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna, Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and H.D. Kumaraswamy, Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs Tejasvi Surya, P.C. Mohan and C.N. Manjunath, and BJP Rajya Sabha members Lahar Singh Siroya and Jaggesh were present and also waved green flag at the inaugural event.
The Vande Bharat Sleeper Express will have a total capacity of 823 passengers. It will comprise 11 AC three-tier coaches accommodating 611 passengers, four AC two-tier coaches with a capacity of 188 passengers and one first AC coach accommodating 24 passengers.
The overnight service is expected to improve connectivity between the two major cities and reduce travel time.
The South Western Railway (SWR) zone will operate and maintain the service.
According to SWR, the train will operate under two numbers: 27652 (SMVT Bengaluru-CSMT Mumbai) and 27651 (CSMT Mumbai-SMVT Bengaluru).
The service will operate six days a week, except Mondays for the Bengaluru-Mumbai journey and Tuesdays for the return journey.
Train No. 27652 will depart from SMVT Bengaluru at 7:45 p.m. and reach Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in Mumbai at 11:55 a.m. the following day, covering the journey in around 16 hours.
On the return journey, Train No. 27651 will leave CSMT Mumbai at 8:10 p.m. and arrive at SMVT Bengaluru at noon the next day.
(IANS)
