Common man's dream train Amrit Bharat to get green signal on December 30

Tuesday 26 December, 2023 | 11:52 PM READ MALAYALAM VERSION

KOCHI: After Vande Bharat and Namobharat, the long-distance superfast express train Amrit Bharat will soon start its run across India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the first train in Ram Temple city of Ayodhya on the 30th. The first train will be on Ayodhya-Darbhanga (Bihar) route. Darbhanga is a city famous for its Goddess Sita Temple. The second train will be on the Bengaluru-Malda (Bengal) route. Modi will also flag off six Vande Bharat Express trains from Ayodhya.

According to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, Amrit Bharat won’t be entering the tracks in haste just after inauguration. It will be only after a month-long trail run that the railways will allow the newly designed express train to touch the tracks.

Amrit Bharat aims to provide low-cost long-distance services. Amrit Bharat trains will connect cities with a distance of more than 800 km apart which requires a minimum of 10 hours to travel. This sleeper cum unreserved train is mainly aimed at migrant workers, who are constantly shuttling between states. The ticket charge will be the same as the express train rate. The new train is designed in orange and grey colours and was manufactured at the Chennai Integral Coach Factory. Amrit Express is expected to replace the Antyodaya and Vande Sadharan Express in the future.

The train comes with Push-Pull engines with both ends. The front engine pulls the chain while the rear engine pushes it. This will make the ride comfortable on bridges, bends and other speed-restricted areas. There is also a semi-permanent coupler system so that the passengers do not feel jolts during the starting and stopping of the train.