Gujarat CM Rupani flags off Ahmedabad-Mumbai Tejas Express

Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani on Friday flagged off the inaugural run of Tejas Express train between Ahmedabad and Mumbai Central. "It is a matter of pride that this semi high-speed, second Tejas Express train has been flagged off between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. This will benefit both states," Rupani said after flagging off the train. "Work on bullet train is also going on the Mumbai- Ahmedabad route," he said.

The train will have its regular run from January 19. Tejas Express will operate six days a week, except Thursday, and will cover the distance between Ahmedabad and Mumbai Central in six-and-a-half hours, with two-minute stoppages at seven stations. 

Train No. 82902 will leave from Ahmedabad at 6.40 a.m. and reach Mumbai Central at 13.10 p.m. From Mumbai, Train No. 82901 will leave at 3.40 p.m. and reach Ahmedabad at 9.55 p.m.

Chief Public Relations Officer (Western Railways) Ravinder Bhakar said the train would offer world class comfort and facilities to the passengers. The facilities include sliding doors, bio-toilets, personalised reading lights and attendant call buttons. Passengers will have an optional facility of getting their luggage picked up and dropped at their homes.

The fully air-conditioned train has two executive class chair cars, having 56 seats each, and eight chair cars, having capacity of 78 seats each. The total carrying capacity of the train is 736 passengers. Seats of the executive chair car have LED screens. Trained train hostesses will be at the service of passengers. 

This is the second premium train to be operated by IRCTC, the Railway firm that hanldes catering, tourism and online ticketing.

The first such train, between Delhi and Lucknow, was flagged off last year. The Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express is also operated by IRCTC, which is listed on stock exchanges.

The Railways has proposed to run 150 such premium trains across the country.

(With PTI inputs)