BENGALURU: The 30-minute time gain that the semi-high-speed Vande Bharat train offers passengers between Mysuru and Chennai via Bengaluru compared to Shatabdi Express, the other premium train on the route, appears to have caught the public imagination. Ever since its launch on November 11, Vande Bharat has been running completely full daily and with a long waiting list too.
Booking statistics released by the South Western Railway Zone from November 12 to November 22 has revealed the overwhelming demand for the train, which takes 390 minutes from Chennai to Mysuru and 385 minutes in the return direction. In comparison, the Shatabdi takes an additional 30 minutes in both directions.
The VB has 14 AC Chair Cars (CC) plus two Executive AC Chair Cars (EC) with 112 revolving seats. There are 1,092 seats in the CC category with each ticket priced at Rs 780 compared to an EC ticket costing Rs 1,660.
“The EC category of VB has an average booking of 147% while the CC category has a booking of 115% from Chennai to Mysuru (Train No. 20607). In the direction from Mysuru to Chennai (Train no. 20608), the EC category has an average booking of 125% while the CC category has 97% booking,” said Chief Public Relations Officer (SWR) Aneesh Hegde. The waiting list to travel on the train is huge, he added.
Stats show that during the same period, the Shatabdi had just 64% and 85% booking for the EC and CC categories, respectively, from Chennai to Mysuru (Train no. 12007) and 75% and 98% in the return direction (Train no. 12008).
Explaining the huge demand, Hegde said, “VB, which offers the comfort of an airline on rails, is faster than Shatabdi and is increasingly preferred by business people, students and tourists to travel between Mysuru, Bengaluru and Chennai. It is in sync with the next generation’s aspiration - they don’t want to just travel, but have an experience which is memorable, comfortable and enjoyable.”
Barring Wednesdays, the VB departs daily from Chennai at 5.50 am, reaches KSR Bengaluru at 10.25 am and Mysuru at 12.30 pm. In the return direction, it departs from Mysuru at 1.05 pm, reaches KSR at 2.55 pm and Chennai at 7.35 pm.
Smoke in Duronto Express, set right immediately
Bengaluru: Smoke was detected from one of the coaches of the Duronto Express on Sunday afternoon by the train manager (guard) when it was approaching Kuppam railway station in Chittoor district. The train (No. 12246) had departed from Sir MV Terminal in Baiyappanahalli at 11.15 am and was on its way to Howrah. The issue in coach S9 was attended to immediately and the journey continued, said an official release. The smoke was spotted at 12.50 pm, the train was stopped and checked by the crew, and it departed at 1.33 pm, it said. According to an official release, the smoke was caused due to brake binding.