NEW DELHI:  Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday said that the Indian Railways has named the indigenously manufactured Train 18 as Vande Bharat Express.



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The change in name is seen as an attempt by the government to acknowledge the made-in-India status of this high-speed train, which will operate between Delhi and Varanasi. The Vande Bharat Express will touch a maximum speed of 160kmph.


It is expected that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would soon flag off the 16-coach train.


Modern Coach Factory in Rae Bareli has built the train in 18 months at a cost of Rs 97 crore. The Vande Bharat express is going to a successor to the Shatabdi Express, which was launched around 30 years ago. The new train, which will be fully air-conditioned is also going to be the first engine-less train in the country.


Vande Bharat Express will stop at Kanpur and Allahabad and will have two executive chair cars.


"It is completely made in India and various names were suggested by the general public but we have decided to name it Vande Bharat Express. A gift on the occasion of the Republic Day to people. Will request the prime minister to flag it off," Goyal was quoted as saying by PTI.


(with agency inputs)