By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: The East Central Railway is preparing to launch a Vande Bharat train service from Patna to Tata Nagar. A proposal has been submitted to the Railway Board, and top officials are currently deliberating on it. According to railway experts, if the proposal is approved, an eight-coach chair car Vande Bharat train with a speed of 130 to 160 km per hour could soon start operating on this route.
The journey from Patna to Tata Nagar is expected to take about 7 hours. Maintenance of the train will be handled by the Chakradharpur Railway Division of the South Eastern Railway Zone. A maintenance center is being developed in the railway sick line in Tata Nagar, with plans to maintain the train coaches at the old washing line there. Primary maintenance will be conducted at the proposed Patliputra Coaching Complex in Patna.
Currently, three regular trains—Ara-Durg South Bihar Express, Tata-Buxar Express, and the once-weekly Bilaspur-Patna Express—operate between Tata Nagar and Patna, covering the approximately 500 km distance in 10 to 11 hours. The new Vande Bharat Express would significantly reduce travel time to seven hours.
If approved, this will be the fifth Vande Bharat service for Patna, adding to existing routes from Patna to Ranchi, Kolkata, New Jalpaiguri, and Ayodhya via Lucknow. Chief Public Relations Officer of East Central Railway, Saraswatichandra, stated that the Railway Board has not yet approved the Patna to Tata Nagar Vande Bharat Express. The Railway Board will announce the train’s operation, followed by trials and other necessary preparations.
