Nine Amrit Bharat Express trains to link Assam, Bengal with rest of India: Vaishnaw

New Delhi, Jan 14: The Indian Railways will soon introduce nine Amrit Bharat Express trains connecting West Bengal and Assam with various parts of the country, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Tuesday.

Posting on a micro blogging platform, Vaishnaw shared the originating and destination stations of the new services, stating that the trains will connect Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra with West Bengal and Assam.

The routes include Guwahati (Kamakhya)–Rohtak, Dibrugarh–Lucknow (Gomti Nagar), New Jalpaiguri–Nagercoil, New Jalpaiguri–Tiruchirappalli, Alipurduar–SMVT Bengaluru, Alipurduar–Mumbai (Panvel), Kolkata (Santragachi)–Tambaram, Kolkata (Howrah)–Anand Vihar Terminal, and Kolkata (Sealdah)–Banaras.

“As part of Indian Railways’ continued push to expand affordable long-distance connectivity, nine Amrit Bharat Express services are being introduced across key corridors,” an official press note stated.

It added, “In line with this vision, the Amrit Bharat Express has emerged as a boon for everyday passengers.”

Officials said the service, conceived as a special offering of the Amrit Kaal, provides non-AC long-distance sleeper class travel at fares of around Rs 500 per thousand kilometres, with proportionately lower fares for short and medium-distance journeys, connecting regions often separated by geography and opportunity.

“Since its launch in December 2023, 30 Amrit Bharat Express trains have been operational, and within just one week, nine new services will be added,” the ministry said.

On the new launches, it added that the services will extend rail connectivity from the eastern and sub-Himalayan regions to major destinations across southern, western and central India.

Highlighting passenger facilities, the ministry said the trains will offer amenities including foldable snack tables, mobile and bottle holders, radium floor strips, improved seating and berths, modern toilets with electro-pneumatic flushing, fire suppression systems and provisions for “divyangjan” passengers.

“Fast charging points and pantry cars further enhance long-distance comfort,” it added.

PTI