India’s first semi-high speed train to start regular runs from tomorrow

India's first semi-high speed train, christened Gatimaan Express, capable of running at a maximum speed of 160 km per hour will be flagged off tomorrow (5 April) from Delhi's Hazarat Nizammuddin railway station.

The train will run between Nizammuddin station and Agra Cantonment Station from Tuesday onwards after it is flagged off by railway minister Suresh Prabu in the presence of several other dignitaries.

Railway minister has been emphasising on increasing the speed of both passenger and goods train in his budget speeches and the launch of this train will herald a new era of high speed rail travel in India.

Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) will handle on board catering on this train and IRCTC has made arrangement for deploying train hostesses also on board the train.

This train will see improved catering and will have options of different kinds of cuisines.

This train will provide free of cost on board entertainment facility through an agency MyFreeTv.in. Passengers can view various entertaining videos during travel on their smart phone, tablets or laptops even without internet connection through WiFi.

The coaches to be used in Gatiman Express are new LHB coaches manufactured by Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala. These coaches have been fitted with bio-toilets and are fit to run at 160 kmph. These coaches have also been fitted with balanced draft gear couplers for smooth ride. The passenger amenities have been enhanced by provision of soap dispenser and autogenitors (perfume dispensers) in the toilets of trains.

For making the coaches free microburst system has also been fitted in the compartments. The insides of the coaches have been pasted with beautiful sceneries for better aesthetics. The exteriors of these coaches have also been given a new look by different colour scheme. The flooring of the coaches has been given marathon shine treatment for cleaning and also given flooring a bright and shiny look. The train will be hauled by an electrical engine WAP 5 with horse power of 5,500 HP.

In conjunction with this train, IRCTC has also arranged two different Agra Guided Tour Packages to coincide with the time table of this Gatimaan Express. One package is for the full day while the other package is for two days, the details of which are available at the IRCTC website.

The Gatimaan Express will run six days a week except Friday and will carry the numbers 12050/12049 in its regular trips. On the day of inauguration on 5 April 2016, one inaugural trip the train will run as special train with a number 02050 between H Nizammuddin and Agra Cantt station.

In its inaugural run the train No 02050 H Nizamuddin-Agra Cantt 'Gatiman' Express train will depart from H Nizamuddin at 10.00 am on 5 April and reach Agra Cantt at 11.40 am the same day.

After the inaugural run in the morning of 5 April 2016 the 12049/12050 'Gatimaan' Express will pick up its regular/schedule run on the same evening, with the 12049 AgraCantt-H Nizamuddin Gatimaan Express starting its first regular run from Agra Cantt Railway station at 17:50 hrs to reach H Nizamuddin at 19:30 hrs on 5 April.

The regular run of train No 12050 H. Nizamuddin-Agra Cantt Gatimaan will start from H Nizamuddin station at 08.10 am from 6 April 2016 to reach Agra Cantt at 09.50 am the same day.

'Gatiman' Express train will have two executive AC chair car and eight AC chair car coaches. The fare for AC chair car is Rs750 whereas it is Rs1,500 for executive AC chair car. No concessions are admissible in this train.

The booking of Gatimaan Express, including inaugural run (ie, train No 02050) and for its further regular/scheduled runs (ie, train no. 12049/12050) has opened from 8:00 am of 2 April 2016.