The first commercial run of Delhi- Katra Vande Bharath Express begins on 5th October after Amit Shah flagged off the train from New Delhi Railways station on 3rd October. Also known as train 18, the Railways’ subsidiary IRCTC has already started the ticket booking process for the passengers.
Here are the details you need to know about the Delhi- Katra Vande Bharath Express
1. Vande Bharath Express is an upgraded variant of its previous class, Train 18. It is an engine-less self-propelled trainset which allows for faster acceleration and deceleration. The train will have 16 coaches, fully air-conditioned. It also includes two executive class, and sensor doors connecting the coaches.
2. The train will run at a maximum speed of 130 kmph. Usually, it takes 12 hrs for a train to travel from Delhi to Katra or vice versa, but now it will take just 8 hours to reach the destination. This speed will help reduce time travel by 40%.
3. Train number 22439 New Delhi-Katra will depart from the New Delhi railway station at 6 am to reach Katra at 2 pm. On the same day, train number 22440 Katra-New Delhi the train will leave from the Katra railway station at 3 pm to reach the New Delhi railway station at 11 pm.
4. The train also has bottle crushing machines in the first and last coach because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative to remove single-use plastic usage.
5. This train has windows with a special provision to protect against stone-pelting and a cattle guard in the front to prevent damage to the train or derailment in case of cattle run.
6. The train is equipped with wi-fi, 180-degree moving chair, GPS-based infotainment system, CCTV surveillance. The pantry has also been made spacious this time.
7. The train will also have a deep freezer to store ice creams and soft drinks that have been installed on a train. Three hot cases, two bottle coolers, water purifiers or ROs have also been made available for the passengers.
8. The fair will cost each passenger at low as Rs 1,600 and maximum for about Rs 3000. Fares vary due to different classes of travel. However, the train will run on all days of the week excluding Tuesdays.
9. The train will stop at stations like Ambala Cantonment, Ludhiana and Jammu Tawi for 2 minutes each. Hence, Katra will be the last station on the way to famous Hindu pilgrimage Vaishno Devi.
10. The train has been installed with bio-vacuum toilets. These toilets will change human waste into water and gas with the help of anaerobic bacteria. This process will decrease the dumping of solid waste on the tracks.
