The Pune-Hubballi Vande Bharat Express has seven stops in its 558 km journey. 
| Photo Credit: Sandeep Saxena

The Vande Bharat Express train between Pune and Hubballi will stop at Ghataprabha railway station from January 3, Iranna Kadadi, Rajya Sabha member, said on December 29.

“The Indian Railways has decided to provide a stop for the Train no. 20669/20670 Vande Bharat Express at Ghataprabha Railway Station in Belagavi district in Karnataka, starting January 3 on trial basis up to June 30,” the MP said.

The express train connects the major cities in the region, including Pune, Kolhapur, Sangli, and Dharwad.

Train number 20669 Hubballi-Pune will arrive at 7.23 am and depart at 7.25 am. Train number 20670 Pune-Hubballi will arrive at 7.38 pm and depart at 7.40 pm.

The train has seven stops in its 558 km journey.

The Ghataprabha stop will be regularised by the railways if the trial run is successful.

Indian Railways has responded to a passenger’s tweet after he discovered that his booked window seat on a Vande Bharat train was actually an aisle seat when he boarded. The passenger took to social media platform X to share his grievance, posting a photo of his ticket, which clearly showed he had booked a window seat. However, a second image revealed that the seat in question was, in fact, an aisle seat, sparking the passenger’s concern. Though he said he didn’t have any problem with his current seat, he noted that the issue might create future seating inconveniences for other passengers.

“Just a gentle reminder to check seats 33 & 34 of C8 in 22435 for Window and Aisle Seating arrangement. I don’t have any problem with my current seat but this might become a problem for future passengers,” the tweet by Abhijeet Anand read. 

See the tweet here:

@IndianRailMedia@RailMinIndia@RailwaySeva Just a gentle reminder to check the seats 33 & 34 of C8 in 22435 for Window and Aisle Seating arrangement. I don’t have any problem with my current seat but this might become a problem for future passengers. pic.twitter.com/T6zd6Ndoz6

— Abhijeet Anand (@abhijeet10anand) December 15, 2024

Reacting to his tweet, Railways Seva said, “For necessary action escalated to the concerned official @Drm_dli. We request you to please share Mobile No. with us preferably via DM. You may also raise your concern directly on http://railmadad.indianrailways.gov.in or dial 139 for speedy redressal.”

Mr Anand thanked the Railways for the quick response and said that two people came and rectified the error. “Thank you for your prompt response. Two people came and addressed the issue of the incorrect seating arrangements. It is truly commendable that Indian Railways took action and marked the problem within 40 minutes,” he wrote.

The Vande Bharat Express is an indigenously manufactured, semi-high-speed, self-propelled train set. It features modern amenities such as fully air-conditioned coaches, GPS-based passenger information systems, comfortable seating, and automatic doors. Designed for speeds of up to 180 km/h, it significantly reduces travel time between major cities. 

New Delhi:

The Ayodhya-Delhi Vande Bharat Express collided with a bull on the way today and while it narrowly managed to avert a major accident, developed engine trouble. The train was stationed in Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, where the engine was repaired.  

The Vande Bharat train from Ayodhya was coming to Anand Vihar. 

Sources said late this evening, as the high-speed down train reached the railway gate number 20B of Bharthana railway station, it had hit the bull which came onto the tracks. 

The engine immediately developed trouble and stopped. By then the train had rolled into the station and was kept in the platform number three where it had come to a halt. The railway technical team was informed and they reached the spot shortly after. 

The railways said that due to the collision, the pressure pipe had leaked, which is why the engine started malfunctioning.

The technicians have managed to repair the engine, the railways said. 

New Delhi:

Five people have been arrested for allegedly throwing stones at the Vande Bharat Express train during its trial run in Chhattisgarh, officials said today. The train, scheduled to run from Chhattisgarh’s Durg to Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam, was set to be flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.

The stones were pelted on the Vande Bharat train at the Bagbahara railway station while it was returning from Visakhapatnam Friday morning, officials said.

No injuries were reported but the multi-layered windows of three coaches of the train were damaged.

The accused, identified as Shiv Kumar Baghel, Devendra Kumar, Jeetu Pandey, Sonwani, and Arjun Yadav, broke the windows of three coaches of the train, C2-10, C4-1, C9-78, officials said.

A case has been filed against the accused — residents of Bagbahara — under the Railways Act, 1989.

Besides Durg to Visakhapatnam Vande Bharat train, PM Modi is scheduled to flag off India’s first Vande Metro from Gujarat’s Bhuj to Ahmedabad and the first 20-coach Vande Bharat train from Varanasi to Delhi on Monday.

He will also launch Vande Bharat trains on the following routes – Tatanagar to Patna, Nagpur to Secunderabad, Kolhapur to Pune, Agra Cantt to Banaras, and Pune to Hubballi.

Several passengers travelling from Delhi to Varanasi on the Vande Bharat Express train encountered issues after the roof of the train started leaking. A video of the incident that has gone viral shows water leaking from the roof of the coach, leaving the seats drenched. Many passengers complained about the issue and slammed the Ministry of Railway for the poor management of trains.

”Look at Vande Bharat, one of the top passenger trains of India. Water is dripping from the roof. The track is Delhi-Varanasi and the train number is 22416,” an X user wrote while sharing the video. 

Watch the video here:

भारत की टॉप मोस्ट पैसेंजर ट्रेनों में एक वंदेभारत देखिए. छत से पानी टपक रहा है. दिल्ली-वाराणसी ट्रैक है और ट्रेन नंबर है 22416. pic.twitter.com/OoPiKbkQOr

— Sachin Gupta (@SachinGuptaUP) July 2, 2024

Responding to the video, the official handle of Northern Railway cited ”temporary blockage of pipes” as the reason behind the leakage and apologised for the inconvenience.

They wrote, ”Slight water leakage was observed in coach because of temporary blockage of pipes! The same was attended and rectified by the staff on the train . The inconvenience caused is regretted.”

Slight water leakage was observed in coach because of temporary blockage of pipes! The same was attended and rectified by the staff on the train .

The inconvenience caused is regretted.

— Northern Railway (@RailwayNorthern) July 2, 2024

However, several internet users expressed their anger and frustration at such situations and demanded better services from Railway authorities. One user wrote, ”Wow, incompetency at its peak.” Slight Leakage. It’s a brand-new train, what kind of pathetic manufacturing quality is this?? The roof is leaking clearly.”

Another commented, ”Vande Bharat, the first train with a shower. Passengers can now bathe while sitting in the rainy season.”

A third wrote, ”This is the condition of Vande Bharat train running from New Delhi to Varanasi. Water is dripping from the roof. People are not able to sit in their seats. The price being charged in Vande Bharat train is high, but the service is low.”

Notably, Vande Bharat Express is an indigenously manufactured, semi-high-speed, self-propelled train set. The train has state-of-the-art passenger amenities, providing passengers with a faster, more comfortable, and more convenient travel experience. These trains are equipped with world-class amenities and advanced safety features, including Kavach technology. 

Visakhapatnam:

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off two more Vande Bharat Express trains from Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam via video conferencing on Tuesday (March 12).

The two new trains will operate between Visakhapatnam-Puri and Visakhapatnam-Secunderabad. With this, the total number of Vande Bharat Express trains operational from Visakhapatnam will be three.

During the occasion, PM Modi will also inaugurate completed portions of railway line doubling projects and other infrastructural developments, which will enhance train connectivity and contribute to the overall development of the region.

‘One Station, One Product’ stalls over the division will also be dedicated to the nation by the Prime Minister.

Divisional Railway Manager (Waltair Division) Saurabh Prasad said that of the two Vande Bharat trains, one will run between Visakhapatnam and Bhubaneswar and the other will operate between Visakhapatnam and Secunderabad.

“These two new Vande Bharat Express trains are in addition to the existing service on this route,” the DRM Prasad told ANI.

As of date, 41 Vande Bharat train services are operating across the Indian Railways, connecting states with Broad Gauge (BG) electrified networks. These Vande Bharat Express trains touch 24 states and 256 districts.

The Ministry of Railways has launched the ‘One Station, One Product’ (OSOP) scheme to promote the ‘Vocal for Local’ vision of the Government of India, provide a market for local and indigenous products and create additional income opportunities for the marginalized sections of society.

This scheme aims to provide enhanced opportunities for livelihood to local artisans, potters, weavers, handloom weavers, and craftsmen through the provision of sale outlets at railway stations across the country.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Raipur (Chhattisgarh):

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday said that passengers are not in favour of using Vande Bharat express trains due to the high fares of the tickets adding that passenger trains are shutting down on constant basis.

Speaking to reporters in Raipur, Bhupesh Baghel said,” Passengers are not using these trains because the fares are high. The majority of the public uses passenger trains but they are getting shut down. The PM is inaugurating railway corridors but it is not for the people, it is for ‘dropping’ coal.”    

He further questioned the motive behind the flagging off of trains by the Prime Minister and said, “The Railway Minister has no work. He is only sent when there is an accident.”

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually flagged off nine Vande Bharat Express trains, and said that the speed and scale of infrastructure development are matching with aspirations of 140 crore Indians.

The new trains are Udaipur – Jaipur Vande Bharat Express, Tirunelveli-Madurai- Chennai Vande Bharat Express, Hyderabad –Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express, Vijayawada – Chennai (via Renigunta) Vande Bharat Express, Patna – Howrah Vande Bharat Express, Kasaragod – Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express, Rourkela – Bhubaneswar – Puri Vande Bharat Express, Ranchi – Howrah Vande Bharat Express and Jamnagar-Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Express.

These Vande Bharat trains will be the fastest trains along the routes of their operation and will help save considerable time for the passengers.

Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in a statement said that the introduction of these Vande Bharat trains will herald a new standard of rail service in the country.

“These trains, equipped with world-class amenities and advanced safety features, including Kavach technology, will be a key step towards providing modern, speedy and comfortable means of travel to common people, professionals, businessmen, student community and tourists,” the statement said.     

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Kerala is set to receive its second Vande Bharat Express train on September 24, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate nine Vande Bharat trains. The first orange-coloured Vande Bharat Express will run on the Kasaragod-Trivandrum route. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw posted a video on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, with the caption ‘Vande Bharat in new shades, coming soon to Kerala.’

#VandeBharat in new shades, soon in Kerala. pic.twitter.com/MbtRwtsLkd

— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) September 22, 2023

Last month, the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai unveiled the first Orange-gray Vande Bharat Express train. According to Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, the new colour of the 28th rake of the indigenous train is ‘inspired by the Indian Tricolour’. 

In July, the minister inspected the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai and reviewed safety measures in Southern Railways. Mr Vaishnaw also assessed improvements in the Vande Bharat Express.

The new trains that will be flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi are:

• Udaipur – Jaipur Vande Bharat Express
• Tirunelveli-Madurai-Chennai Vande Bharat Express
• Hyderabad – Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express
• Vijayawada – Chennai (via Renigunta) Vande Bharat Express
• Patna – Howrah Vande Bharat Express
• Kasaragod – Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express
• Rourkela – Bhubaneswar – Puri Vande Bharat Express
• Ranchi – Howrah Vande Bharat Express
• Jamnagar-Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Express

These nine trains will enhance connectivity across eleven states: Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, West Bengal, Kerala, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Gujarat. They will be the fastest on their respective routes, significantly reducing travel time for passengers.

The Vande Bharat Express services will save significant time compared to the current fastest trains on their respective routes:

• Rourkela-Bhubaneswar-Puri Vande Bharat Express and Kasaragod-Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express will be approximately three hours faster.
• Hyderabad-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express will reduce travel time by over two and a half hours.
• Tirunelveli-Madurai-Chennai Vande Bharat Express will shorten the journey by more than two hours.
• Ranchi-Howrah Vande Bharat Express, Patna-Howrah Vande Bharat Express, and Jamnagar-Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Express will save about one hour.
• Udaipur-Jaipur Vande Bharat Express will reduce travel time by about half an hour.