Zee Media Bureau


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New Delhi: Hailed as the fastest train in the country, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Tuesday flagged off the first semi-high speed train Gatimaan Express from Hazrat Nizamuddin to Agra Cantt.


Travelling at a top speed of about 160 km per hour, the Gatimaan Express covered the 200 kilometres between Delhi and Agra is just 101 minutes or 1 hours 41 minutes to be precise.


"It is a happy occasion for us as the first semi-high speed train Gatimaan starts today. We want to increase speed of all trains whether ordinary or express as part of our 'raftar' mission. It is not an easy task. It will take time but we have made a plan," Prabhu said.


However, the truth be known about the real speed of India's fastest train.


Gatimaan Express is faster than Shatabdi Express, which travels on the same route by a mere few minutes.


The Bhopal Shatabdi Express which starts from New Delhi railway station at 6:00 am arrives at Agra Cantt at 7:57 am, i.e. 1 hour and 57 minutes, just about 15 minutes more than Gatimaan Express.


Now, considering the the distance between New Delhi station and Nizamuddin and the calculations, the Gatimaan Express was faster than the Shatabdi Express from Nizamuddin to Agra Cantt by a mere 7 (seven) minutes.


Considering the term as the fastest train, does 7 (seven) minutes really make a big difference in long distance as much as the Gatimaan is hyped to be?


That is for the readers to decide.


Besides, the Shabdati Express is known to have hit a top speed of 155 km per hour too.