As an excellent example of the ‘Make in India’ success story, the Indian Railways launched India’s first indigenous semi-high-speed train, Vande Bharat Express. It has become a symbol of India’s aspirations for modern, efficient, and comfortable rail travel.

The first Vande Bharat Express train was flagged off on February 15, 2019, on the New Delhi-Kanpur-Allahabad-Varanasi route, running at a speed of 160 kilometres per hour. A total of 102 Vande Bharat train services through 51 trains are running across the Indian Railways, connecting states having Broad Gauge electrified network.

Read in Hindi: नए दौर में रेलवे ने लिखी है ‘वंदे भारत एक्सप्रेस’ की नई कहानी

During the financial year 2022-23, approximately 31.84 lakh were booked to travel on Vande Bharat trains. The overall occupancy of Vande Bharat trains during this period has been 96.62 per cent.

The Vande Bharat trains offer a world-class travel experience, combining speed with comfort. These trains are equipped with top-tier amenities and advanced safety features, such as Kavach technology, 360-degree rotating seats, accessible toilets for Divyangjan, and integrated Braille signages, among many others.

The Meerut City-Lucknow Vande Bharat Express marks the first Vande Bharat service connecting Meerut with Lucknow. This train is expected to significantly boost religious tourism in the region by offering a faster and more efficient travel option to various pilgrimage sites, including the Digambar Jain Temple, Mansa Devi Mandir, Surajkund Temple, Augharnath Temple, and Hanuman Chowk Mandir in Meerut, as well as Chandrika Devi Temple, Bhoothnath Mandir, and Buddheshwar Mahadev Temple in Lucknow.

Additionally, the Vande Bharat Express will provide a major boost to industries in the Meerut region- such as sports goods, musical instruments, sugar, and electronics- by improving swift connectivity to Uttar Pradesh's capital.

The Madurai-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express is the first Vande Bharat train to link Madurai with Bengaluru via the Tiruchchirappalli route. This service will connect the vibrant temple city of Madurai in Tamil Nadu with the cosmopolitan city of Bengaluru, the state capital of Karnataka.

Additionally, it will provide convenient travel for business professionals, students, working personnel and other commuters travelling from their hometowns in Tamil Nadu to the metropolitan hub of Bengaluru.

The Chennai Egmore-Nagercoil Vande Bharat is the first Vande Bharat train to connect the scenic town of Nagercoil with Chennai. Covering 726 kilometres within Tamil Nadu, this train offers a modern and faster travel experience to residents across 12 districts, including Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Virudhunagar, Madurai, Dindigul, Trichy, Perambalur, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Chengalpattu, and Chennai.

This service will also greatly benefit pilgrims travelling to the divine Arulmigu Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai and the Kumari Amman Temple in Kanniyakumari.

The Vande Bharat Sleeper train set is expected to revolutionize long-distance rail travel in India, setting new benchmarks for comfort, safety, and efficiency. The train is equipped with a range of world-class features, including an integrated reading light with USB charging provision, public announcement and visual information systems, inside display panels and security cameras, modular pantries, and special berths and toilets for differently-abled passengers.

Additionally, the 1st AC car offers showers with hot water, enhancing passenger comfort.

Engineered with meticulous attention to detail, the trainset prioritizes both aesthetic appeal and functionality across all elements, from the front nose cone to interior panels, seats, sleeper berths, and more.

Finally, The Vande Bharat Express has revolutionized rail travel in India, offering a unique combination of speed, comfort, and safety. With the continued expansion of this service, the Indian Railways aims to further enhance connectivity across the country, contributing to economic growth and regional development.

The success of the Vande Bharat Express is a testament to India’s capabilities in indigenous manufacturing and a significant step toward realizing the vision of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat.'

The Vande Bharat Express represents the future of Indian Railways, embodying the country's commitment to innovation, self-reliance, and sustainable development. As more routes are added and services expanded, the Vande Bharat Express will continue to play a pivotal role in transforming the travel experience for millions of passengers across India.