Following the success of the first edition of the semi high speed train, Train 18, that is, the Vande Bharat Express, which operated from New Delhi to Varanasi via Kanpur and Prayagraj, the Railways Ministry launched the second edition of Vande Bharat Express, as a special gift to the devotees of the Vaishno Devi shrine, as the Vande Bharat Express was flagged off on the 3rd of October 2019, by Home Minister Amit Shah and Railways Minister Piyush Goyal.
As I got on board this train for its launch run, I happened to witness the sea change that the Indian Railways is undergoing in the present time. The very first thing that struck me was the presence of CCTV cameras in each and every coach, ensuring enhanced security. Apart from the CCTV cameras, an extra film was installed in each window in order to prevent damages that might occur in possible cases of stone pelting. During the trial run of the first edition on 20 December 2018 from Delhi to Agra, a stone thrown had smashed a window, leaving the glass shattered.
For those unaware, the Vande Bharat Express’ second edition commences from New Delhi Railway Station and ends at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Railway Station in Katra, the town which serves as the base camp for Vaishno Devi devotees. Unlike the normal 12 hours taken to travel through train from New Delhi to Katra, the Vande Bharat Express transports you from New Delhi to Katra in 8 hours flat, operating at an average speed of 110-130 km/hr, with a maximum speed of 160 km/hr.
The train has only 3 stoppages in between, which are Ambala Cantonment in Haryana, Ludhiana Junction in Punjab and Jammu Tawi in Jammu & Kashmir before arriving at the ultimate destination of Katra. The commercial operations have begun for the general masses from 5 October. A normal ticket, inclusive of all charges, shall cost Rs. 1630, while an executive chair car ticket shall cost one Rs. 3014, inclusive of all charges and taxes.
To be very honest, this train is a class in itself, equipped with some of the services that could and would give even some of the best airplane services a run for their money. There are charging sockets beneath every seat, the coaches are maintained by a dedicated staff round the clock, and the bio toilets work exactly like those on airplanes.
The catering service of the train was also top notch to be precise. Unlike other trains, the catering service in Vande Bharat Express is run on a PPP model [public private partnership model], wherein popular food franchises can also contribute to the delicacies served on board.
Not only that, but also local products like apple juice, extracted from the orchards of Himachal Pradesh, prove that Indian Railways follows the model of promoting local products quite well. Since apples from Himachal Pradesh have been largely ignored in favor of the far more lucrative ones from Kashmir Valley, this is a rather welcome move from the Ministry of Railways in terms of promoting local products from various states. Also, those fasting during the Navaratri festival felt at home, with fast friendly meals and fruits served round the clock, and without delay.
Another interesting aspect about the train that I happened to witness was the state of the art services. Apart from the eco-friendly bio toilets, there was minimum presence of single use plastic, keeping in line with the Central Government’s policy on the same. Each coach is fitted with automatic sliding doors that open only on the arrival of the train at a specific station, preventing the mishaps that occur when passengers try to board running trains. This once again proves how much the Indian Railways is committed nowadays towards the safety of the passengers traveling through the railway trains. The automatic sliding door were just not limited to the coaches, but also served as the entrance to each compartment as well, as shown below.
Apart from the automatic doors, the train was also equipped with on board WiFi internet and a specialized GPS based information system. Connected to a smart TV in each compartment, the GPS based information system kept us abreast of not only how far were we from the next station, but also about the speed of the train.
All in all, this is one of the best Navaratri gifts that the Central Government and Railways Ministry could’ve given to the nation. The Vande Bharat Express from New Delhi to Katra is not only time saving, it is also eco-friendly, tech savvy and luxurious in every aspect. Do take a trip with this train to the holy abode of Mata Vaishno Devi, and I guarantee you, on arrival, you shall leave step out of the train with a smile on your face.