PM flags off Vande Bharat Express from Telangana: Travel time to Tirupati comes down drastically

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today flagged off the Vande Bharat Express, which connects Hyderabad with the abode of Lord Venkateswara, Tirupati.

This is the second Vande Bharat train to be started from Telangana within a span of three months. The train will reduce the travel time between the two cities by almost three and half hours and will be beneficial for the pilgrim passengers.

The redevelopment of Secunderabad Railway Station, to be done at a cost of Rs. 720 crore, is being planned such that it will undergo a massive makeover with world-class amenities and aesthetically designed iconic station building, news agency PTI reported.
The redeveloped station would have a doubled-level spacious roof plaza with all passenger amenities at one place with multi modal connectivity for providing seamless transfer of passengers from rail to other modes among others.

The ticket bookings for the journey commenced on Friday and the regular services will commence from April 9 from Tirupati and April 10 from Secunderabad.

The train consists of seven AC Chair car coaches and one Executive AC Chair car coach with a total seating capacity of 530 passengers. It will provide the fastest travelling facility between the two stations and has exclusive fully AC reserved sitting accommodation.

In addition to flagging off the Vande Bharat Express, the PM also laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment works of the Secunderabad Railway Station, being taken up by the Indian Railways at an estimated cost of Rs 720 crore. This would involve a major makeover with world-class amenities and an aesthetically designed iconic station building.

During the visit, PM Modi will flag-off 13 new Multi-Modal Transport Service (MMTS) services in the suburban section of Hyderabad-Secunderabad twin city region, providing commuters with a fast, convenient and comfortable travel option, a press release from railways said on Thursday.

He will also dedicate to the nation the doubling and electrification of Secunderabad-Mahabubnagar project. The project stretching for a distance of over 85 km has been completed at a cost of nearly Rs. 1,410 crore. The project will provide seamless connectivity and assist in enhancing the average speed of trains, the PTI report also said.