Adding a Vande Bharat Express to the series of such trains introduced by the government, PM Modi will flag off the inaugural run of the Vande Bharat Express from Dehradun to Delhi on May 25 at 11 AM via video conferencing.
The train will be the first Vande Bharat to be introduced in Uttarakhand. “With world-class amenities, it will herald a new era of comfortable travel experiences, especially for the tourists travelling to the state,” said the official statement.
The ‘Kavach’ -Automatic Train Protection System, an indigenous Indian automatic train protection system, is installed in every Vande Bharat train, which boosts the train’s overall security parameter. Further, the trains are environmentally friendly in various ways.
Record electrification
PM Modi will also dedicate the newly electrified rail line sections in Uttarakhand. With this development, Uttarakhand will be declared a 100% electric traction state. Trains run by electric traction on the electrified sections will result in an increase in speed and will enhance haulage capacity.
Indian Railways is rapidly moving to accomplish 'Mission 100 Percent Electrification' and be the largest green railway network in the world. Earlier, in a statement, the Ministry of Railways informed that 6,542 RKMs had been achieved in Indian Railways' history during 2022–23. The previous highest electrification was 6,366 RKM during 2021–22, registering an increase of 2.76%.
Various other benefits of this development include reduced operating and maintenance costs for electric locos, energy efficiency, and an eco-friendly mode of transportation, among others. In addition, it will also reduce dependence on imported crude oil, thus saving foreign exchange.
Connectivity expands the possibilities for development
Earlier, during a similar launch of the Vande Bharat Express train, PM Modi said, “Connectivity expands the possibilities of development with it. That is, there is speed, wherever there is speed, there is progress, and when there is progress, prosperity is certain.”
In addition, Indians and trains have a special link that dates back to when the nation’s first set of trains began operating. This bond is especially strong for the common man of the country, and it is for this common man that these trains will prove to be excellent travel options.
