PM flags off Secunderabad-Tirupati, Chennai-Coimbatore Vande Bharat trains

On Saturday (April 8), Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated two Vande Bharat trains — one, the Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat Express in Hyderabad and two, the Chennai-Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express in Chennai.

The first launch ceremony was held at Secunderabad Railway Station, where the Prime Minister boarded the train and engaged with local school children.

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The high-speed train will significantly reduce travel time between Secunderabad in Telangana and Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh by nearly three-and-a-half hours, benefiting many travelers, especially pilgrims.

Chennai-Coimbatore train

Later on Saturday, Modi flagged off the Vande Bharat train between Chennai and Coimbatore at the Puratchi Thalaivar Dr M G R Central Railway Station. The PM also interacted with school students in the train.

The Chennai-Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express is expected to cut down the travel time between the state capital and the western industrial city by more than one hour.

“It is the fastest train between the two cities with a travel time of 5 hours and 50 minutes, saving more than an hour of journey time,” an official release said.

Earlier, on January 15, Prime Minister Modi virtually launched the Vande Bharat train service connecting Secunderabad and the port city of Visakhapatnam, the first of its kind to link the two Telugu-speaking states.

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Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, and Union Minister for Culture and Tourism G Kishan Reddy were among the dignitaries present during the launch ceremony.

(With agency inputs)