Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Deepak Kesarkar demands two more stops for Madgaon-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express

Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Deepak Kesarkar. File Pic

Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Deepak Kesarkar on Tuesday demanded Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to provide two more stops for Vande Bharat Express that included Sindhudurg and Raigad, reported news agency ANI.

"I request Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to give Vande Bharat stops in Sindhudurg and one more stop in Raigad," Deepak Kesarkar was quoted as saying by ANI.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde welcomed the Goa (Madgaon) to Mumbai 'Vande Bharat' Express at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus.

During the event, CM Eknath Shinde said, "This Vande Bharat connects tourist place Goa and economic capital Mumbai. The flight facilities now will be available on the Vande Bharat train."

"PM flagged off the Vande Bharat train today that will run from Madgaon to Mumbai & Mumbai to Madgaon)," said the Chief Minister.

Further, Eknath Shinde said, "There are five Vande Bharat trains in Maharashtra. The Central government connected the Vande Bharat train route with our state and it's a privilege for us."

The Madgaon (Goa)-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express train completed its inaugural run on Tuesday night, covering a distance of nearly 600km between the two destinations in 10.15 hours.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually flagged off the semi high-speed train from Bhopal at 10.50 am, giving Goa its first Vande Bharat Express.

The train departed a few minutes later at 11.05 am from platform number 1 of Madgaon station and reached Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) at 9.20 pm, covering a distance of 586 km in 10.15 hours.

At its every halt, the train on the picturesque Konkan Railway route was welcomed by the sound of drum beats with people showering flowers on it and shouting slogans.

According to the Central Railway (CR), the Mumbai-Madgaon Vande Bharat Express (22229/22230) will be operated three times a week during the monsoon months given the difficult terrain and speed curbs on the Konkan route
It will run on every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from Mumbai and on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from Madgaon during the rainy season, said CR.

The train will run six days a week, expect on Friday, during non-monsoon months.

As per the monsoon timetable, the train will take around 10 hours to cover the distance between India's financial capital and Madgaon.

It will depart from CSMT at 5.25 am on every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and reach Madgaon at 3 pm. The train will leave Madgaon at 12.20 pm on every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and l reach Mumbai CSMT at 10.25 pm, said CR.

During the non-monsoon months, the Vande Bharat Express will cover the 586km distance in around 8 hours. It will depart at 5.25 am from Mumbai CSMT and reach Madgaon at 1.10 pm, while it will leave Madgaon at 2.20 pm and reach CSMT at 10.25 pm.

The train has been given seven halts -- at Dadar, Thane, Panvel, Khed, Ratnagiri, Kankavali and Thivim.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI)