Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on 19 January flag off the Vande Bharat express from Secunderabad to Vijayawada at Secunderabad railway station — the second Vande Bharat in South India.
With this, the much-awaited facility for the people of two Telugu States would be accomplished, enabling them to travel between Secunderabad and Vijayawada in considerably less time.
The train could turn into a boon for the employees of Andhra Pradesh government, businessmen and regular travellers between Secunderabad and Vijayawada since the travel time would be reduced to a large extent.
The Railways is operating the Vande Bharat’s at a top speed of 160 km per hour.
In November, Modi had flagged off South India’s first Vande Bharat Express and the fifth in Vande Bharat series — on the Mysuru-Chennai route.
The semi-high-speed train was flagged off by Modi from KSR Bengaluru City Junction in Karnataka.
Related: Know all about the Vande Bharat Express trains
Incidentally, the South’s first Vande Bharat was the slowest of all Vande Bharat Express trains till, experts had told South First.
According to the Railways, while the average speed of Vande Bharat Express trains on routes like New Delhi to Varanasi, New Delhi to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, Mumbai Central to Gandhinagar, and New Delhi to Amb Andaura is between 79 km/h and 95 km/h, the one between Chennai and Mysuru was to ply at an average speed of 77 km/h — making it the slowest in the series so far.
It is not known at what average speed the Secunderabad-Vijayawada Vande Bharat Train will ply.
Related: Experiencing the Mysuru-Chennai Vande Bharat express
Facelift of Secunderabad station
Apart from flagging off Vande Bharat express, the prime minister will lay the foundation stone for the long-pending redevelopment and modernisation of Secunderabad railway station, track doubling works between Secunderabad and Mahabubnagar district, and the Kazipet workshop.
BJP party sources told South First said the prime minister was expected to take part in a public meeting to be organised either near Secunderabad railway station or any other place in Secunderabad.
He is also likely to hold a crucial meeting with Telangana party leaders keeping in view the Assembly elections this year end.
The Prime Minister is likely to discuss the road map to be prepared for the Assembly elections in the State with the party leaders, sources said.
Update
The inauguration of the Vande Bharat Express train has now been put off with Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Hyderabad on 19 January having been postponed.
The Telangana BJP leadership said the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) would inform the new schedule soon.
(The story has been updated on 11 January with the news about the postponement of the inauguration of the Telangana-Andhra Vande Bharat)
