The passenger capacity of the Secunderabad – Tirupati – Secunderabad Vande Bharat Express will more than double to 1,128 and the train will travel faster from Wednesday. The train with eight coaches and 530 passenger capacity is being extended from May 17 with a revised composition of 16 coaches and 1,128 passenger capacity. 15 minutes and the train will complete its journey in either direction in 8 hours 15 minutes instead of the current duration of 8 hours 30 minutes.
Railways has decided to increase the number of coaches in view of the huge demand of passengers in the train. Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the train on 8 April. As per SCR, Train No 20701/20702 Secunderabad – Tirupati – Secunderabad Vande Bharat Express was initially introduced with the composition of 8 coaches comprising of 01 Executive Class and 07 Chair. Cars. Since the commencement of regular services, the train has been continuously running with more than 100 per cent patronage.
While, Train No. 20701 Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat Express registered a patronage of 131 per cent in April and 135 per cent in May, Train No. 20702 Tirupati-Secunderabad Vande Bharat Express registered a patronage of 136 per cent in April and 136 per cent in May. 138 percent in May.
Talking about the number of passengers, till May 15, a total of 44,992 passengers have availed Vande Bharat train service in both the directions. While 21,798 passengers have traveled from Secunderabad to Tirupati by Vande Bharat Express, another 23,194 passengers have traveled from Tirupati to Secunderabad. More than 100 per cent patronage has been observed in both the directions of both the classes of coaches – executive as well as chair car.
The new structure will have 14 chair cars with a capacity of 1,024 (instead of the earlier 6 with a capacity of 478) and two executive classes with a capacity of 104 (instead of one coach with a capacity of 52 earlier).
South Central Railway General Manager Arun Kumar Jain has said that the doubling of coaches is also timed as more passengers will be able to visit Tirupati during this summer holiday season.
Vande Bharat Express between Secunderabad and Tirupati is also being made faster and travel time is being reduced by 15 minutes in both directions. To accommodate the shorter travel time, train timings at stations have also been revised from May 17. The train stops at only four stations en route – Nalgonda, Guntur, Ongole and Nellore.