“A new Vande Bharat Express from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to Mumbai would be started within three months, for which a pit-line and a sick-line will be established in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Railway Station,” informed BJP MP Dr Bhagwat Karad on Sunday while addressing a press conference. 

A demand was raised for a separate Vande Bharat service to be added following the extension of Jalna-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express was extended till Nanded from August 26, causing inconvenience and added travelling time to passengers from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

“Considering inconvenience and added travel time to passengers from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, we had asked Union Minister of Railways, Ashwini Vaishnav, for starting a new Vande Bharat Express for the city passengers,” Karad added.

“Acknowledging the demand he has assured to start the train within three months. The pit-line for Vande Bharat will be for 76 bogies and an additional 24 bogies pit-line will be proposed,” Karad. 

A tunnel way will be established at railway gate No. 52, for which a development project report (DPR) has been prepared while another tunnel way at gate No. 53 is also proposed. Moreover, a flyover with the expense of Rs 75 crore under Gatishakti scheme is proposed at the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Railway Station MIDC area, Karad mentioned.

Station manager Sunil Birare, Marathwada Railway Kruti Samiti president Pralhad Paradkar, Dr Swanand Solunke, Baban Narwade and others were present during the press meet. 

On Sunday, PM Modi virtually flagged off Vande Bharat Service between Bengaluru and Belagavi. He also virtually flagged off Vande Bharat services between Amritsar and Katra and another from Nagpur to Pune. 

The first Vande Bharat Express train was flagged off on February 15, 2019, on the New Delhi-Kanpur-Allahabad-Varanasi route, running at a speed of 160 kilometers per hour. These trains are equipped with world class amenities for an enhanced travel experience.