CRAZE FOR VANDE BHARAT EXPRESS

Back in 2015 or earlier in Railway Budget it was decided that Chhattisgarh will get its first semi-high speed train between Bilaspur and Nagpur and everyone thought just like New Delhi - Agra Cantt. Gatiman Express, there will be a Bilaspur Nagpur Gatiman Express.

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days passed, years passed no train was introduced between this route.

Then again a ray of hope ignited when PM of India said on Independence's Day that 75 Vande Bharat Express will be introduced on different routes and when the list came of proposed routes, there was the mentioning of Bilaspur - Nagpur Route.

And after few months of this news one of my cousin brother told me that his company has got tender for manufacturing some parts of these new 75 vande bharat express.

Then a shocking news came on 3rd December that on 11th December there will be inauguration of Bilaspur - Nagpur - Bilaspur Vande Bharat Express, there was a joy among SECR Railfans, our whatsapp group flooded with a lots of congratulating's messages, everyone was planning for the inauguration journey in the train.

3 Days later..

An update came that one rake of Vande Bharat Express dispatched from Integral Coach Factory (ICF) Chennai on 6th December and the same rake was spotted by someone at Balharshah Junction on 7th December and later on the same evening an update came in our whatsapp group that the rake departed Gondia Jn at 18:05hrs and then a fellow railfan from Durg spotted the rake at Durg Jn and updated in the group that train departed Durg Jn. at 21:38hrs. So I decided to capture the same rake at Saraswati Nagar Level Crossing as it was near to me. I took my bike and went to the Level Crossing and suddenly saw 12070 Gondia Raigarh Janshatabdi (running late by 4hrs), after that 12129 Pune Howrah Azad Hind Express (running late by 7hrs), 13288 Rajendra Nagar - Durg South Bihar Express (running late by 2hrs) and 18241 Durg Ambikapur Express. In between one of the group member told in the group that the rake of Vande Bharat Express might bypass the Raipur Jn. so it won't cross the Saraswati Nagar Level Crossing and suggested me to go Sarona, it was bit far so I just went near AIIMS Raipur over bridge and saw that some goods train was standing in the bypass (Mumbai - Howrah) downline so I was pretty much sure that the rake will cross Saraswati Nagar Level Crossing so again went back to the same place with fingers crossed. This time Level Crossing Gate closed, my heartbeat went up, that rake will come now but.... two goods train crossed simultaneously and I was disappointed that whether the rake of Vande Bharat Express crossed by the bypass line or not. Then I said this will be the last time, if it will not come I'll go home. The Level Crossing Gate closed, one boy asked to gateman that 2 trains will cross or just a single one ? The gateman replied there is a signal for 1 express train in Mumbai Howrah downline, suddenly I turned my mobile camera up and the train came and hurrayyyyy it was the rake of VANDE BHARAT EXPRESS (SECR's first and own) VANDE BHARAT EXPRESS !!!!!! Then the gateman told that boy, that it seems like the new train. I couldn't resist myself and replied to the gateman, that its the new VANDE BHARAT EXPRESS and he acknowledged me 😉

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