Nagpur News
Vande Bharat Train Between Nagpur and Pune to Launch on August 10; PM Modi to Flag Off Inaugural Run
The eagerly awaited Vande Bharat Express connecting Nagpur (Ajni) to Pune is set to commence operations on August 10, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi slated to flag off the inaugural journey. The train will depart from Ajni Railway Station and is expected to run three times a week, depending on slot availability, as ongoing work on the third and fourth rail lines in this crucial corridor continues.
While there was much excitement about the introduction of sleeper-class coaches on this route, their launch has now been postponed until next year. Until then, the Pune-bound Vande Bharat will operate with seating-only coaches, which may be less comfortable for passengers given the journey exceeds 850 km, despite being one of the fastest trains on this stretch.
Preliminary schedules indicate that the train will leave Ajni in the evening and start its return trip from Hadapsar Station in Pune at 6 am, aiming to complete the journey in under 12 hours. This marks a significant improvement over existing services like the Maharashtra Express, which takes over 18 hours, and other express trains averaging around 16 hours. Due to Pune Railway Station’s limited capacity to handle new trains, Hadapsar has been designated as a temporary terminus.
The service is expected to greatly benefit many passengers, particularly professionals from Vidarbha working in IT and related sectors in Pune.While final details such as train number, stops, and timings are still being finalized, Central Railway officials have confirmed that complete information will be available on the Passenger Reservation System (PRS) two days before the launch.The inauguration is part of a larger Vande Bharat rollout, with the Prime Minister also scheduled to flag off two other new trains: Bengaluru–Belagavi and Amritsar–Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra.Meanwhile, concerns have been raised about inadequate infrastructure at Ajni Station, which will host one of Indian Railways’ premium services.
Platform No. 2, designated for departures, lacks sufficient shelter, and construction progress has been slow. With monsoon rains ongoing, passengers face exposure due to limited covered waiting areas. Railway staff warn that unless work accelerates, the station may not be fully ready for the grand launch.
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