Excitement rent the air on Platform No. 1 of the Margao railway station on Tuesday morning, but for a different reason – the flagging off of the Margao-Mumbai Vande Bharat semi express train virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
As Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Ministers, MLAs, Margao Municipal councillors, besides senior bureaucrats and police officers, joined citizens and school children at the inaugural run of the train, Konkan Railway said it has rolled out the red carpet for the new Vande Bharat express heralding a new era of comfortable & enhanced rail travel experience.
While Governor Pillai travelled by the train along with DGP Jaspal Singh and other senior officials before alighting at the Karmali railway station, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant along with Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte made a brief presence inside the train to take stock of the amenities.
School children from Salcete schools were part of the first set of passengers who travelled by the train before alighting at the Thivim railway station.
The train has passenger amenities such as onboard WI-FI infotainment, GPS based passenger information system, plush interiors, bio-vacuum toilets with touch-free amenities, and diffused LED lighting, charging points beneath every seat, individual touch based reading lights and concealed roller blinds.
“Modern Mini pantry” and “Emergency talk-back” unit for passengers to communicate with crew are the other amenities on board the train.
Railway officials said the Vande Bharat train will ensure faster connectivity for tourists visiting Konkan region. Dubbed as a new age train redefining passenger travel in India, officials further said the train connects world heritage and tourists centres of Goa and Maharashtra.
Equipped with train collision avoidance system, the Vande Bharat has revolving seats in Executive Class, bio vacuum toilets with touch-free amenities, special lavatory for Divyangjan passengers, four emergency windows in every coach, automatic plug doors with sliding footsteps & touch-free sliding doors, etc.
Monsoon Timings: (Tri-weekly)Train No. 22229 Mumbai CSMT – Madgaon Jn. Vande Bharat Express will leave from Mumbai CSMT at 05:25 hrs on every Monday, Wednesday & Friday from 28/06/2023 to 30/10/2023. Train will reach Madgaon Jn. at 15:30 Hrs on the same dayTrain No. 22230 Madgaon Jn. – Mumbai CSMT Vande Bharat Express will leave from Madgaon Jn. at 12:20 hrs on every Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday from 29/06/2023 to 31/10/2023. Train will reach Mumbai CSMT at 22:25 Hrs on the same day
Non-Monsoon Timings: (Six days a week except Friday)
Train No. 22229 Mumbai CSMT – Madgaon Jn. Vande Bharat Express will leave from Mumbai CSMT at 05:25 hrs on every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday (Six days a week) from 01/11/2023. Train will reach Madgaon Jn. at 13:10 Hrs on the same dayTrain No. 22230 Madgaon Jn. – Mumbai CSMT Vande Bharat Express will leave from Madgaon Jn. at 14:40 hrs on every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday (Six days a week) from 01/11/2023. Train will reach Mumbai CSMT at 22:25 Hrs on the same dayThe train will halt at Dadar, Thane, Panvel, Khed, Ratnagiri, Kankavali & Thivim stations
