The much-awaited Vande Bharat Express (22895/22896) connecting Howrah and Puri is all set to hit the tracks on May 18. Ahead of the formal introduction of the train, the Ministry of Railways on Tuesday shared details information about the timings, stoppages and days of operation of the train.
As per an official statement released by the railway ministry, Vande Bharat Express will run six days a week, except Thursdays, and have seven stoppages.
The Vande Bharat train having 16 coaches will leave Howrah at 6:10 am and arrive in Puri at 12:35 pm. The express will depart from Puri at 1.50 pm and reach Howrah at 8:30 pm.
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The stoppages are Kharagpur, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur-Keonjhar Road, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and Khurda Road. The train will halt at each station for two minutes only.
"If required, the inaugural train may be planned as a special service which should pick up its link subsequently," the railway ministry added.
Earlier, the national in-charge of social media for BJP Mahila Morcha, Sujata Sabat Padhy had informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the Vande Bharat Express in Odisha on May 18.
Taking to Twitter, Padhy informed that the express train service will be inaugurated in Odisha by PM Narendra Modi. According to sources, PM Modi will flag off the express via video conferencing.