India’s Railway Ministry is set to enhance its Vande Bharat Express service with expanded passenger capacity across several routes. This means that a lot of Vande Bharat train routes will get 20-coach trains instead of the trains with fewer coaches. This will help in accommodating the high number of ridership on several routes. Here are all of the other important details that you would need to know about this particular move aimed at accommodating ridership.
20-Coach Vande Bharat Trains To Come To Kerala Soon
The Thiruvananthapuram-Mangaluru service (20631/20632), which currently operates with eight coaches via Alappuzha, will soon be upgraded to a 20-coach configuration. This development comes as welcome news for the route, which presently experiences 200 per cent occupancy.
The new formation will accommodate 1,246 passengers, marking a significant increase from its current capacity. Similar upgrades are planned for the Tirunelveli-Chennai route, where the existing eight-coach train will be replaced with a newly delivered 20-coach set received by Southern Railway.
According to an article which was recently published by Onmanorama, these longer trains will sport a fresh livery, moving away from the characteristic white-blue colour scheme to a striking grey-black-orange combination.
Other Train Routes In India And What They Can Expect
Kerala’s other Vande Bharat service, operating between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod (20634), has already proven highly successful. With its 16-coach configuration carrying 1,016 passengers, it has been recognised as the nation’s top-performing service among 17 Vande Bharat Expresses, achieving 100% occupancy.
The Thiruvananthapuram-Mangaluru service covers 620 kilometres in eight hours and 35 minutes, maintaining an average speed of 72 kilometres per hour and making nine stops along its route. This upgrade follows the pattern set by India’s first 20-coach Vande Bharat, which began operating on the Varanasi-New Delhi route two months ago.
Looking ahead, the Railway Ministry has even more ambitious plans, with reports suggesting the development of 24-coach Vande Bharat Expresses.
These continuous improvements and expansions reflect the ministry’s commitment to enhancing India’s premier train service, meeting growing passenger demand whilst maintaining the high standards associated with the Vande Bharat brand.
Will these moves benefit you in any way? Let us know in the comments section below!
Cover Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons
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