Pune: In a momentous event for Maharashtra's rail infrastructure, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated 12 new ‘Vande Bharat’ Express trains across India today.

Among these, Maharashtra proudly received three of the state-of-the-art trains, marking a significant enhancement in regional connectivity.

The highlight of the inauguration was the introduction of the first ‘Vande Bharat’ Express train to Pune, which was ceremoniously launched at the Pune railway station. The new services will operate on the Pune-Hubbali and Pune-Kolhapur routes, offering advanced travel options for passengers.

The arrival of these trains is set to greatly benefit Western Maharashtra, improving transportation between key cities such as Pune, Satara, Miraj, Sangli, and Kolhapur. This upgrade is expected to bolster regional connectivity and stimulate local economic growth.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by several distinguished figures including Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, State Minister for Higher and Technical Education Chandrakant Patil, Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Medha Kulkarni, and MLAs Sunil Kambale and Yogesh Tilvekar. Railway Divisional Manager Indu Rani Dubey also graced the occasion.

A trial run of this much-awaited Vande Bharat Express was successfully conducted between Kolhapur and Pune on September 14. Capable of achieving speeds up to 180 km/h, the train has been restricted to 110 km/h for this route.

The trial had demonstrated the train's excellent acceleration, reaching 110 km/h within 40 seconds, and its riding index of 2.5 is among the best in the country, ensuring both speed and passenger comfort.