RANCHI: The journey to the national capital Saturday onwards promises to be free of rodents with the modern air-conditioned passenger coaches of Rajdhani Express ready to chug along. Besides, Rajdhani will run four days a week.
This comes at a time when complaints about the once elite train turning into a kingdom of cockroaches, a breeding ground for rodents and reeking of a foul smell, had begun to pile up. As a double bonanza, the Rajdhani Express will run four days a week from Saturday.
The Ranchi division of the South Eastern Railways...
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will flag off the new and improved Ranchi-New Delhi Rajdhani Express on Saturday. The train will comprise 19 world- class coaches designed by German company Linke Holfmann Bush (LHB).
"It would be a historic moment for Ranchi, which has so far been neglected by railway authorities. The passengers have had a harrowing time travelling in old and dilapidated rakes," said R K Sarawgi, president of the Jharkhand Passengers' Association.
The train will run at a speed of 180kmph but promises to accord a safer journey than the old Rajdhani Express. The new train has been technically designed to be derailment-free. It is fitted with hi-tech air-conditioning, interior, designed for ultimate comfort and is noise-free. The coaches have been manufactured at Rail Coach Factory (RCF) in Kapurthala, Punjab under technology transfer from LHB.
R Yadav, additional DRM, confirmed the development. "The Rajdhani Express on Saturday would be a new train with entirely new rakes. It would be an extraordinary experience for the passengers," said Yadav.
The train will consist of a first class coach, seven second class coaches, eight coaches of third class, one pantry car and two power cars. "The train is quieter than the current train. It produces a maximum noise level of 60 decibels while conventional coaches produce 100 decibels noise," said a technical expert.
Passengers have had to deal with a lot of noise in Latehar, Palamu, Garhwa districts where the rail track is older.
The train is being flowered at Hatia yard. As a goodwill gesture, the oldest retired railway staff would flag off the train, said Yadav. The train would be flagged off at 5.10pm.
The next journey of the train will be on Tuesday. Till now the service of the Rajdhani Express was available on Saturdays, Sundays, and Wednesdays.
A source said there is only one train which is new. "So the passengers who are lucky enough will enjoy a rodent-free ride, for the rest perhaps, the wait will be longer" refer News Entry#139009