The Railway Ministry has renamed the Bhuj-Ahmedabad Vande Metro to Namo Bharat Rapid Rail hours before its inaugural run oꦫn Mond𓆏ay, according to a spokesperson.
The service will be flagged off from the Bhuj railway station at 4:15 pm virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will be present in Ahmedabad, he said.
The Rapid Rail, which aims to enhance in♍tercity connectivity, will cover 359 km diꦬstance from Bhuj to Ahmedabad in 5:45 hours. In between, the train will stop at nine stations.
For the public, the regular service wꦅill start on September 17 from Ahmedabad. The total j🃏ourney will cost Rs 455.
"The ministry has decided to rename Vande Metro to Namo Bharat Rapid Rail," the Railway spokesp🐻erson said.
According to the Railway Ministry, while the other metros cover only short distances, Namo Bharat trains will connect the h🔜eart of Ahmedabad with its peripheral cities.
Featuring 12 coaches with seating for 1,150 passe๊ngers, the Rapid Rail offers a host of innovative features, it said. "With ergonomically designed seats, fully air-conditioned cabins and modular interiors, it definitely𝓀 proves to be superior to other metros."
A significant upgrade, according to the Miniꦍstry, from traditional suburban trains and metro coaches is its modular design that includes ejector-base🔯d vacuum evacuation toilets.
"The train offers fa🥃ster journeys between mid-distance cities. Its rapid acceleration and deceleration contribut🔯e to efficient travel while driving cabs at both ends eliminates turnaround time," it added.
