MARGAO
Hopes were raised on Sunday that the Vande Bharat Express will soon run on the Margao-Mumbai route after the train chugged at the Margao railway station early Sunday.
The eight-coach fully air-conditioned train arrived at the Margao railway station, raising expectations that the train will be flagged off later this week. Konkan Railway Corporation’s Senior official, Public Relations, Baban Ghatge confirmed that the Vande Bharat train has chugged in at the Margao railway station in the wee hours of Sunday. He, however, said no communication has so far come from the railways when exactly the train will be flagged off from Margao on its onward journey to Mumbai.
“Yes, it’s true that the Vande Bharat Express has chugged in at the Margao railway station. We are awaiting further details including the communication from the railways over the commencement of the services,” he said.
Railway sources informed that the Vande Bharat Express, which had conducted trial runs over a week ago, have reportedly received the nod for its running on the Margao-Mumbai stretch. The 16-coach Express had covered the distance between Mumbai and Margao in seven hours during the trial run. Railway officials, however, said the train may take a longer time to reach the destination given that the trial was conducted sans passengers and without the train making any stops along the entire stretch.
