This will be the first indigenously-made semi-high-speed rail in South Central Railway (SCR) and the second of its kind in the south of India, running between Secunderabad and Vijayawada. The first indigenous semi high-velocity train in South Central Railway (SRC), which runs between Secunderabad and Vijayawada, has been named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. This train will revolutionise rail travel in the region, providing faster and more efficient transportation for passengers.
The much-awaited new generation Vande Bharat Express is set to commence operations between Secunderabad Railway Station and Vijayawada in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh from the start of the new year. This high-speed train is expected to drastically reduce travel time between the two cities.
This will be the first semi-high speed railway in South Central Railway (SCT), and the second such train under construction in South India.
The launch of the first Vande Bharat Express train in South India between Chennai and Mysuru last month was a momentous occasion, and the Railway Ministry has now approved a new service on the Secunderabad-Vijayawada route. Union Minister for Tourism, Culture and Development of Northeast Region, G. Kishan Reddy, who represents Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituency, is eagerly looking forward to inviting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the train service.
However, the exact time when the trains will start running between Chennai and Visakhapatnam has not been decided yet. It was recently reported that a feasibility study for running train services between Vizag and Visakhapatnam will be released soon.
Officials said Secunderbad-Vijayawadi Vande Bharat will become the sixth such high speed train in India. The first of these trains is expected to be flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 17, as part of his ‘Make In India’ campaign. The train will run between Mumbai and Ahmedabad at a maximum speed of 320 km per hour.
The Vande Bharat Express is capable of reaching a maximum commercial speed of 160 kmph. Currently, the train running on the Secunderabad-Vijayawada track via Kazipet can attain a maximum speed of 130 kmph.
Kishan Reddy has requested the Railway Ministry to introduce the Vande Bharat Express between Secunderabad and Tirupati, however, due to the current constraints in meeting the demand for rolling stock, this is likely to take some time.