UP CM Yogi Adityanath flags off Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express - country’s first private semi-high speed train

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday flagged off the Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express, the country’s first private semi-high speed train. Speaking on the occasion, the UP CM congratulated the first batch of the passengers travelling in the train.

"It is the first corporate train of the country. I congratulate the first batch of passengers travelling in it and hope such initiatives are taken to connect other cities also," the CM said. 

The Delhi-Lucknow Tejas, which has become operational now, will cover the journey between the two cities in 6 hours and 15 minutes. 

This train will have one executive class air-conditioned chair car having 56 seats and nine air-conditioned chair cars having a capacity of 78 seats each. The total carrying capacity of the train will be 758 passengers.

On October 4, Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal had said the IRCTC will compensate passengers of new Lucknow-Delhi Tejas Express in case of delay in the train`s schedule.

"Compensation for Delay: In a first of its own, IRCTC to compensate passengers of the New Lucknow-Delhi Tejas Express in case of delay in the train schedule: - Rs 100 in case of a delay of more than an hour-Rs 250 in cases of a delay exceeding 2 hours," Goyal had said in a tweet. 

As per the schedule, the train will leave Lucknow at 6:10 am and touch New Delhi Railway station at 12:25 pm, covering the entire distance in 6 hours and 15 minutes. 

The journey time of the train is lesser than the Swarn Shatabdi, which is currently the fastest train on the route.

Tejas Express would have only two halts - Kanpur and Ghaziabad.

On its return journey, the train would leave Delhi at 3:35 pm and reach Lucknow at 10:05 pm.

The train would run six days a week, except Tuesday.

(With Agency inputs)