Indian Railways is all set to operate the first Vande Metro train connecting Ahmedabad with Bhuj in Gujarat. The Ahmedabad-Bhuj Vande Metro is a fully unreserved air-conditioned train for which passengers can buy tickets from the counter shortly before departure, Western Railway (Ahmedabad division) public relations officer Pradeep Sharma said on Saturday.
Ahmedabad-Bhuj Vande Metro service will stop at nine stations and cover the 360 kilometre distance in 5 hours and 45 minutes at a top speed of 110 kilometres per hour.
Features of Vande Bharat Metro:
The indigenously developed train has 12 air-conditioned coaches with centrally controlled automatic sliding doors, modular interiors, continuous LED lighting, toilets with vacuum evacuation, route map indicators, panoramic windows, CCTV, phone charging facilities and automatic smoke/fire detection with alarm system and aerosol based fire extinguishing system. It has been given advanced and improved features that enable it to reach a speed of 110 KMPH.
Stoppages of Vande Bharat Metro:
Train No- 94802 Vande Bharat Metro will depart from Bhuj at 05.05 am and will stop at Anjar for two minutes after reaching at 05.34 am, will reach Gandhidham at 05.55 am and halt for 10 minutes. The next stop will be at Bhachau for two minutes at 6.36 am, Samakhiali at 6.54 am for two minutes, Halvad at 7.55 am for two minutes, Dhrangadhara at 8.25 am for two minutes, Viramgam at 9.25 am for two minutes, Chandlodiya at 10.03 for two minutes, Sabarmati at 10.15 am for two minutes and finally reaching Ahmedabad at 10.50 am.
Train No-94801 will leave Ahmedabad at 5.30 pm and reach Sabarmati at 5.40 pm and will halt for two minutes, reach Chandlodiya at 5.47 pm, Viramgam at 6.26 pm, Dhrangadhra at 7.19 pm, Halvad at 7.49 pm Samakhiali at 8.55 pm, Bhachau at 9.13 pm, Anjar at 10.18 pm and finally Bhuj at 11.10 pm
Fare of Vande Bharat Metro:
The minimum chargeable fare for Vande Bharat Metro will be Rs 30. Season tickets will also be available like weekly, fortnightly and monthly season tickets shall be charged at equivalent to 7,15 and 20 single journeys. No concession is there for travelling in Vande Bharat Metro train.
According to Railways sources, it will have a unique coach configuration in which four coaches will constitute one unit and a minimum of 12 coaches will make one Vande Metro. To start with, the Railways will launch a minimum of 12 Vande Metro coaches and will increase coaches up to 16 as per the demand on the route.
The time limit for the cancellation of tickets and the applicability of a clerkage charge of Rs. 60 on cancellation of tickets shall be as per Rules No. 4 and 5 of the Railway Passenger (Cancellation of Tickets and Refund of Fare) Rule 2015. Additionally, GST at 5% on the clerkage charge shall also be applicable as per existing principles.
"Initially, we will have a 12-coach metro but it can be extended to 16 coaches depending on thedemand and need of the city," the official said, adding the city which will have the first Vande Metro is also being worked out.
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