Prime Minister Narendra Modi is virtually inaugurating two new Vande Bharat trains from Visakhapatnam today morning (12 March 2024), marking a significant boost to the region’s connectivity and infrastructure. The new Vande Bharat services between Vizag, Bhubaneswar, and Secunderabad, along with the completion of key railway doubling projects, are expected to contribute substantially to the area’s development. The Visakhapatnam-Secunderabad Vande Bharat is the second of its kind, supplementing the already existing service between both cities, and it is being flagged off by Union Minister, Kishan Reddy in Secunderabad.
The Visakhapatnam-Bhubaneswar Vande Bharat Express was a last-minute modification as the Railway Board decided to run the train to the temple city, Bhubaneswar, instead of Puri. The Divisional Railway Manager, Saurabh Prasad held a press conference to discuss the various projects that the Prime Minister dedicated to the nation. Alongside the two Vande Bharat trains, he said that the completed segments of the Kothavalasa-Koraput and Koraput-Rayagada doubling projects, the Vizianagaram-Titlagarh third line project, goods sheds, and One Station One Product Stalls across the division would also be dedicated to the nation.
The introduction of these two new trains in Visakhapatnam is in addition to 10 other Vande Bharat trains, that are also being flagged off across the country by the Prime Minister today. As of today, this will bring the total count of Vande Bharat train services up to 51.
To further enhance the travel experience, the Indian Railways is introducing Rail Coach Restaurants at major stations including Andhra Pradesh. This innovative concept not only provides travelers with a memorable culinary experience but also serves as a means to generate non-fare revenue for the railways. The Rail Coach Restaurant at Vizianagaram is being inaugurated today.
Other projects
In addition to these, the Prime Minister is also dedicating significant infrastructure projects to the nation, including:
- Kottavalasa-Koraput doubling at Gorapur, costing ₹123 crores.
- Kottavalasa-Koraput DL Boddavara (7.3 km) with an expenditure of ₹47 crores.
- Koraput Rayagada – Baiguda doubling (14.6 km) at ₹131 crores.
- Vizianagaram-Titlagarh 3rd Line (9.2 km) works with an investment of ₹142 crores.
Vande Bharat Express Schedules
Bhubaneswar-Visakhapatnam-Bhubaneswar Vande Bharat Express (20841/20842):
- Train No 20841 departs from Bhubaneswar six days a week except Monday. The train will leave at 5:15 am, and reach Visakhapatnam at 11:00 am.
- Train No 20842 leaves Visakhapatnam six days a week (except Saturday) at 3:30 pm, reaching Bhubaneswar at 9:30 pm.
- Stops include Khurda Road, Balugaon, Brahmapur, Ichchapuram, Palasa, Srikakulam Road, and Vizianagaram.
Secunderabad-Visakhapatnam-Secunderabad Vande Bharat Express (20707/20708):
- Train No 20707 departs Secunderabad six days a week (except Thursday) at 5:05 am, arriving in Visakhapatnam at 1:50 pm.
- Train No 20708 leaves Visakhapatnam six days a week (except Thursday) at 2:35 pm, reaching Secunderabad at 11:20 pm.
- Stops include Warangal, Khammam, Vijayawada, Rajahmundry, and Samalkot.
The introduction of the two new Vande Bharat Express trains connecting Vizag with Bhubaneswar and Secunderabad is a significant step towards improved intercity connectivity. Passengers are encouraged to take advantage of these state-of-the-art services for a faster and more comfortable travel experience.
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