Extending Vande Bharat service across the country, the Railways will soon launch a new Vande Bharat train from Saharanpur to Prayagraj to cater to the growing demand of the pilgrims for the holy city, in Uttar Pradesh.

While the first Vande Bharat Express was introduced between Delhi and Varanasi in 2019, Sharanpur-Prayagraj will be the second Vande Bharat train in Uttar Pradesh for which the trial run would be commencing shortly.

Meanwhile, preparations are afoot to launch five Vande Bharat trains on 27 June from Bhopal.

Five Vande Bharat trains would be flagged off by Prime Minister at Bhopal (Mumbai-Goa, Ranchi-Patna, Bangalore-Hubballi-Dharawad, Bhopal-Jabalpur and Bhopal-Indore routes) — a first for Indian Railways, for the simultaneous operation of five Vande Bharat trains on the same day.

All these five Vande Bharat trains are 8-coach each and the number of coaches can be increased upto 16, depending of the traffic demand.

Dedicating various development works for the people after visiting Saharanpur station on Saturday (24 June), Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw added that besides a Vande Bharat service for the region, a new 81 km rail line from Saharanpur to Dehradun, via Shakumbhari Devi, will be constructed for which DPR will be completed within 18 months’ time period.

Vaishnaw said developmental works worth Rs 500 crore will be executed to make Saharanpur and adjoining stations like Tapri world class stations.

The Minister also dedicated a Road Over Bridge constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 48.23 crore on the Meerut-Saharanpur section of the dedicated freight corridor.