Gujarat, a state known for its economic progress, unfortunately lags in rail infrastructure. Premium trains, meant to symbolize progress, are disappointingly slow in Gujarat compared to those in other parts of India. Let’s break this down:
The Mumbai-Gandhinagar Vande Bharat: A Slow Premium
- This newly launched train takes 6 hours and 25 minutes to cover 521 km – a longer journey time than the older Delhi-Varanasi Vande Bharat Express, which covers a similar distance in just 5 hours.
Gujarat’s Slower Trains: The Trend
- This isn’t an isolated case. Many trains in Gujarat are slower than their counterparts in other states:
- The Mumbai-Gandhinagar Vande Bharat is slower than the Howrah-Delhi Express, Bhagalpur-Anand Vihar Garib Rath, and even the Patna-Delhi Rajdhani Tejas.
- The prestigious Mumbai-Ahmedabad Shatabdi Express is outpaced by the Kota-H. Nizamuddin Jan Shatabdi.
Reasons to be Concerned
- Wasted Time: Slow trains translate to lost productivity, inconvenience, and reduced leisure time for commuters and travelers alike.
- Travel Costs: With slower trains, rail travel becomes less competitive against flights or buses, often leading to higher travel expenses for the common person.
- Tourism Suffers: Slow trains diminish the accessibility of Gujarat’s rich cultural and heritage sites, impacting the state’s tourism potential.
Shocking Comparisons and Examples
- The 12259 Howrah-Delhi Express covers 1440 km in 16 hours and 40 minutes at affordable fares. Yet, it takes longer to travel much shorter distances within Gujarat to destinations like Veraval-Somnath.
- Even the 51426/11412 Miraj-Parli train, covering 438 km at an incredibly low fare, is faster than the Saurashtra Express from Mumbai.
- Astoundingly, airfare between Mumbai and Chiplun (the same distance as Mumbai-Ahmedabad) can be cheaper than the Mumbai-Gandhinagar Vande Bharat Express.
Urgent Need for Action
Here’s what Gujarat desperately needs:
- Faster Premium Trains: Introduce trains like the Jan Shatabdi with speeds matching those in other states.
- Infrastructure Upgrades: Better tracks and signaling are essential to enable faster train travel.
- Efficient Route Planning: Minimize unnecessary stops and optimize routes for maximum speed.
- Accessible Pricing: Premium trains need to be affordable to encourage wider adoption.
Learn from Other States
Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu provide excellent models of faster and more affordable trains. Gujarat must learn from their examples.
A Call to Gujarat and Railway Authorities
The state government and rail authorities can’t ignore this issue. Slow and expensive trains hinder Gujarat’s progress. It’s time to demand the fast and efficient rail network the state deserves.