Quicksplained: All about Namo Bharat Rapid Rail, India’s first Vande Bharat metro, flagged off by PM Modi
PM Narendra Modi on Monday flagged off India's first Namo Bharat Rapid Rail during his visit to Gujarat. With stops at nine stations, the Ahmedabad-Bhuj Vande Metro service will cover the 360-kilometre distance in five hours and 45 minutes at a speed of 110 kilometres per hour
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday flagged off India’s first Namo Bharat Rapid Rail during his visit to Gujarat.
The PM also flagged off several other Vande Bharat trains on routes including Kolhapur-Pune, Pune-Hubballi, Nagpur-Secunderabad, Agra Cantt to Banaras, and Durg to Visakhapatnam, according to Mint.
Modi arrived in his home state on Sunday for the first time after the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year.
Here’s all we know about it.
What do we know about the Namo Bharat Rapid Rail?
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Ahead of its debut, the Indian Railways officially renamed the “Vande Metro” service to “Namo Bharat Rapid Rail” on Monday.
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With stops at nine stations, the Ahmedabad-Bhuj Vande Metro service will cover the 360-kilometre distance in five hours and 45 minutes at a speed of 110 kilometres per hour.
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It will operate six days a week and will halt at Anjar, Gandhidham, Bhachau, Samakhiali, Halvad, Dhrangadhra, Viramgam, Chandlodiya, Sabarmati and Kalupur (Ahmedabad station), according to Moneycontrol.
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The Namo Bharat Rapid Rail will depart from Bhuj at 5.05 am and reach Ahmedabad at 10.50 am.
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It will carry up to 2,058 standing passengers, with seating arrangement for 1,150.
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The train features 12 air-conditioned coaches and comes with cushioned sofas for seating.
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Additional features include phone charging stations, CCTV, centrally controlled automatic sliding doors, modular interiors, continuous LED lighting, hoover evacuation-equipped toilets, route map indicators, and panoramic windows.
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The train service will begin for the general public on September 17, which is also PM Modi’s birthday.
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According to the railway ministry, Namo Bharat Rapid Rail would feature emergency lighting in addition to cutting-edge safety features including aerosol-based fire suppression, collision avoidance, and fire detection (KAVACH).
What will be the ticket price?
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The minimum rate is ₹30 (GST included), and the estimated cost of a one-way ticket from Bhuj to Ahmedabad, is ₹455.
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Weekly, fortnightly, and monthly season tickets would be offered to frequent travellers at a significant discount of ₹7, ₹15, and ₹20 per single ride, respectively, according to NDTV.
How is it different from other metro rails?
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The Indian Railways has revolutionised the idea of metro travel with its latest creation.
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The Namo Bharat Rapid Rail will connect metropolitan centres with surrounding areas by covering inter-city destinations, in contrast to traditional metros that run between urban stations.
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According to the government, the train is intended to link cities within a 150-kilometre radius, offering quick and comfortable travel times of three to four hours.
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It serves a wider spectrum of travellers than urban metro services.
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While a lot of people believe it looks like the Vande Bharat Express, the fact is that it has more suburban metro trains because both ends have automated sliding doors and engines.
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Additionally, it will be unreserved, enabling travellers to buy tickets right before the trip departs.
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“The train offers faster journeys between mid-distance cities. Its rapid acceleration and deceleration contribute to efficient travel while driving cabs at both ends eliminates turnaround time,” the Railway Ministry said.
With inputs from agencies
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