2nd Chennai-Mysuru VB Express from Tuesday

CHENNAI: The second Vande Bharat express train from Chennai to Mysuru will begin service on Tuesday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to flag it off virtually. Due to various scheduled works, it would run between Chennai and Bengaluru till the first week of April.

Unlike the familiar blue and white exterior, the new train set will sport orange and white colour, said officials. However, the visage is only one aspect of the new train, perhaps the least important factor.

For, the new train will have better cushions for seats, extended footrests in the executive chair, and better lighting facilities both within and outside the train. Like the earlier version, the new eight-coach Vande Bharat rake, too, will only have sitting seats, as the train covers only a short distance, said a railway official.

In its inaugural run on Tuesday, the train will start its journey from MGR Chennai Central railway station at 9.15 am. The train will have stoppages at Katpadi and Krishnarajapuram. It will reach Katpadi at 10.48 am/10.50 am, Krishnarajapuram at 1.50 pm/1.52 pm, and reach Bengaluru at 2.20 pm. The service will be operated on all days of the week, except Wednesdays.

However, though it is being formally flagged off on Tuesday, the regular service of Train No. 20663/20664 (Mysuru – Dr MGR Chennai Central –Mysuru Vande Bharat Express) will be between Chennai and Bengaluru till April 4. The stretch till Mysuru will commence only from April 5.

While scheduled works are cited as the reason for this, many questioned the urgency to launch the service in the curtailed form, and alleged that the Centre-ruling BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were trying to get the train running before the Lok Sabha election dates are announced.