G. Kishan Reddy, the Union Minister for Tourism, Culture, and Northeast Region Development, noted that during the last two terms of the Modi administration, railways have received significant attention, with generous funding provided and multiple infrastructure projects approved.
He stated on Tuesday that the redevelopment of Secunderabad, Hyderabad, and other stations was undertaken, that locally built Vande Bharat trains were introduced and that the new passenger terminal at Cherlapalli and the wagon manufacturing unit were almost finished.
Through a video conference from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Mr Reddy was taking part in the flag-off event for the second Vande Bharat Express between Secunderabad and Visakhapatnam, where Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw was present at the Secunderabad station. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also there. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy took part in the program virtually as well.
The new train will operate six days a week (except Thursdays), with regular service between Visakhapatnam and Secunderabad starting on March 13 and from Secunderabad to Visakhapatnam starting on March 15. At 5.05 in the morning, train 20707 Secunderabad – Visakhapatnam will leave Secunderabad and arrive in Visakhapatnam at 1.50 in the afternoon.
Secunderabad-Viakhapatnam Train Number 20708 At 2.35 p.m., the Vande Bharat Express will set out, arriving in Secunderabad at 11:20 p.m. The train makes stops in both directions at the railway stations in Warangal, Khammam, Vijayawada, Rajahmundry, and Samalkot during this time.
The train can accommodate 530 passengers and has seven AC chair car coaches in addition to one executive AC chair car carriage. With more than 100% occupancy, the Vande Bharat Train, which now connects the two Telugu States, has been running reliably.
On this occasion, nine freight terminals, eleven goods sheds, three railway coach restaurants, and new doubling/tripling works throughout the zone were also unveiled. Two more new trains, the Kalaburagi – Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express and Kollam – Tirupati Mail Express, travelling via SCR, were also introduced. Senior executives were in attendance, including Anil Kumar Jain, General Manager of SCR.
