Mumbai-Bengaluru Vande Bharat sleeper flagged off; Modi says it will be a game-changer

A major step has been taken towards making travel between Mumbai and Bengaluru faster and more comfortable. The Mumbai-Bengaluru Vande Bharat sleeper train was flagged off on Sunday. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off the train in the presence of other dignitaries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the new express. He expressed confidence that the service would prove a game-changer in connecting the two cities. Sharing an Indian Railways post on X, Modi spoke of the importance of the new service. According to him, the service, which began from Bengaluru, is an important step towards strengthening the country's modern rail connectivity.

In his post, Modi wrote that another important step had been taken in rail connectivity from Bengaluru, a city known for technology and new ideas. The Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat sleeper train would be a game-changer for connectivity between the two metropolises.

The train will benefit passengers from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. The Prime Minister said the service would be especially useful for young people, those working in the IT sector and students. He expressed hope that it would make travel more comfortable and convenient. The Railway Ministry says the service has been started to provide modern facilities and a better experience on long-distance rail journeys.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had approved the Northern Corridor of the country's bullet train network. He announced the major project at the launch of the Varanasi-New Delhi Vande Bharat sleeper express.

The proposed bullet train corridor will connect Delhi, Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Patna and Siliguri. There are plans to extend it to Guwahati later.

The Railway Minister claims the project will save a great deal of travel time. According to the proposed timetable, Agra can be reached from Delhi in 59 minutes, Kanpur in 1 hour 45 minutes and Lucknow in 2 hours 12 minutes. The Delhi-Varanasi journey will take 3 hours 33 minutes. The Lucknow-Varanasi distance will be covered in just 1 hour 21 minutes, he said.

The Opposition alleges that the bullet train will be only for the rich. Vaishnaw rejected the allegation. He said the bullet train ticket would be cheaper than air travel and that ordinary people too would be able to benefit. According to him, the government's aim is to build a fast, modern transport system that suits the common man's pocket.