Guwahati, Jan 22 (IANS) The much-awaited commercial service of the Semi High Speed Vande Bharat Sleeper started its maiden run on Thursday from the Kamakhya Railway station, near Guwahati, railway officials said.

The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said that the lucky passengers of the first trip from Kamakhya to Howrah (Kolkata) expressed their happiness at being able to undertake the journey through this premium train.

At the Kamakhya station, passengers were welcomed on board by the railway service personnel with Roses, making their journey memorable to be cherished in the future.

All seats of the first service got booked within a few hours of the opening of ticket reservation through PRS and other sites, Sharma said. The swift sell-out vividly reflects passengers’ eagerness to experience the speed, comfort and modern amenities of the Vande Bharat Sleeper inaugurated by the Prime Minister on January 17.

According to the CPRO, the passengers expressed their happiness with the quality of bedrolls and the variety of good-quality food items provided in this train. Passengers also expressed their satisfaction with this ‘Make in India’ initiative by the government of India. Several passengers also conveyed their views on the cleanliness and prompt staff response on the train.

Some passengers also mentioned that it is the responsibility of all to maintain the cleanliness and hygiene of the train during their journey. The return journey service of the train (No. 27575) from Howrah will commence from January 23.

Passengers will be provided with sumptuous Assamese and Bengali recipes during the journey by caterers engaged through IRCTC, apart from premium-quality bedroll items.

Meanwhile, the CPRO earlier had said that the new-generation Vande Bharat Sleeper Express will operate with a 16-coach rake, having a total passenger capacity of 823.

“The composition includes 11 AC three-tier coaches, four AC two-tier coaches and one First Class AC coach, offering comfortable travel options across different passenger segments,” he added.

According to the official, designed with a strong passenger-focused approach, the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express will feature ergonomically designed cushioned berths, advanced suspension systems for superior ride comfort, noise-reduction technology, automatic doors with vestibules and a modern Passenger Information System.

“Special provisions for ‘Divyangjan’ (differently abled) passengers, contemporary toilets and advanced disinfection technology will further enhance hygiene, accessibility and onboard comfort,” he added.

Safety remains a defining hallmark of the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express.

The CPRO had said that the train will be equipped with the ‘Kavach’ automatic train protection system, emergency passenger talk-back units and a state-of-the-art driver’s cab with advanced controls.

–IANS

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