**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to a starred question in Lok Sabha regarding the Vande Bharat trains in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, to be answered on February 11, 2026. It provides details on the operational Vande Bharat Express trains, plans for introducing new routes, upgrading track infrastructure, and ensuring affordable fares and local cuisine options. The response covers the period up to December 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Operational Vande Bharat Trains:**
* Maharashtra is served by 24 Vande Bharat Express services, originating or terminating within the state. A list of 12 services with train numbers and frequencies is provided.
* Madhya Pradesh is served by 10 Vande Bharat Express services, including the Khajuraho-Banaras Vande Bharat Express, introduced from November 11, 2025. A list of 5 services with train numbers and frequencies is provided.
* These trains connect major cities, pilgrimage sites, and tourist destinations, including Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Shirdi, Banaras, Bhopal, and Khajuraho.
* **Introduction of New Routes:**
* The introduction of new trains depends on factors like capacity, path availability, rolling stock, infrastructure, and maintenance requirements.
* **Track Infrastructure Upgrades:**
* Indian Railways continuously strengthens, modernizes, and improves track infrastructure.
* Measures include using modern track structures, Thick Web Switches, longer rail panels, improved expansion joints, better welding technology, mechanized track maintenance, state-of-the-art machines, interlocking of level crossing gates, advanced testing technology, and integrated track monitoring systems.
* **Affordable Fares:**
* Railways operate various train services to cater to different societal strata.
* Indian Railways provided a subsidy of ₹60,466 crore on passenger tickets in 2023-24, amounting to an average concession of 45%.
* Further concessions are available for Persons with Disabilities, patients, and students.
* **Local Cuisine Options:**
* IRCTC designs menus for Vande Bharat trains based on regional demand.
* Regional/local cuisines of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh are offered, enhancing the passenger experience. Examples include Paneer Kolhapuri, Batata Poha, Indori Poha, etc.
* **Track Speed Potential:**
* Due to the measures taken, there is a significant increase in speed potential of the tracks.
* Details of speed potential of railway tracks during 2014 vs. 2025 are provided.
**Impact Analysis**
**Ministry of Railways**
* **Impact:** The Ministry is required to take note of the information provided and respond to any further queries or follow-up actions from Lok Sabha. This would involve ensuring efficient operation of existing Vande Bharat services and implementing plans for new routes and infrastructure upgrades.
* **Action Required:** Continue monitoring the performance and utilization of Vande Bharat services in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, implement track upgrades, and maintain affordable fare structures while incorporating local cuisine options.
**Passengers / General Public**
* **Impact:** Passengers benefit from increased connectivity, improved travel times, affordable fares, and access to regional cuisines on Vande Bharat trains.
* **Action Required:** Utilize the available train services and provide feedback on the services offered.
**Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)**
* **Impact:** IRCTC is responsible for designing and implementing regional cuisine options on Vande Bharat trains.
* **Action Required:** Collaborate with stakeholders to curate menus featuring popular regional dishes and ensure quality and availability of food items.
Key Entities Referenced
Vande Bharat Express: Semi-high-speed train service in India, central to the policy discussion
Ministry of Railways: The Indian government ministry responsible for railway operations, including Vande Bharat Express
Maharashtra: Indian state where the Vande Bharat train services are operational and proposed for expansion
Madhya Pradesh: Indian state where the Vande Bharat train services are operational and proposed for expansion
Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC): Agency responsible for catering services on Vande Bharat trains, with a focus on regional cuisine
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 164
TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.02.2026
VANDE BHARAT TRAINS IN MAHARASHTRA AND MADHYA PRADESH
†*164. SHRI NILESH DNYANDEV LANKE:
SHRI GYANESHWAR PATIL:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
(a) the total number of Vande Bharat Express trains currently operational in
Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh along with details regarding their
specific routes and frequency;
(b) whether any proposal is under consideration to introduce new Vande
Bharat routes connecting major cities, pilgrimage sites or tourist
destinations within or outside Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh and if
so, the details thereof;
(c) whether any proposal is under consideration to launch semi-high-speed
corridors or upgrade existing tracks for faster Vande Bharat services in
Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh and if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the Government proposes to operate Vande Bharat trains in the
rural areas of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh and if so, the details
thereof; and
(e) the details of various steps being taken to ensure affordable fares and
the inclusion of local cuisine options in these trains?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
*****
§STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF STARRED
QUESTION NO.164 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.02.2026 IN LOK SABHA
(a) to (e) As the railway network straddles across State boundaries, trains
are introduced across such boundaries as per network requirement. On
originating/terminating basis, 24 Vande Bharat Express services are catering
to the needs of various stations located in the State of Maharashtra while 10
Vande Bharat Express services (including 26505/26506 Khajuraho-Banaras
Vande Bharat Express introduced w.e.f. 11.11.2025), are catering to the
needs of various stations located in the State of Madhya Pradesh. These are
listed below:
Vande Bharat serving Maharashtra:
SN Train no. and name Frequency
1 26101/26102 Pune-Ajni Vande Bharat Express 6 Days a week
2 20101/20102 Nagpur-Secunderabad Vande Bharat 6 Days a week
Express
3 20669/20670 Hubballi-Pune Vande Bharat Express 3 Days a week
4 20673/20674 SCSM(T) Kolhapur-Pune Vande Bharat 3 Days a week
Express
5 22961/22962 Mumbai Central-Ahmedabad Vande 6 Days a week
Bharat Express
6 20705/20706 H. S. Nanded-Chhatrapati Shivaji 6 Days a week
Maharaj(T) Vande Bharat Express
7 22229/22230 Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj(T)- 6 Days a week
Madgaon Vande Bharat Express
8 20911/20912 Indore-Nagpur Vande Bharat Express 6 Days a week
9 22223/22224 Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj(T)- 6 Days a week
Sainagar Shirdi Vande Bharat Express
10 22225/22226 Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj(T)-Solapur 6 Days a week
Vande Bharat Express
11 20825/20826 Bilaspur-Nagpur Vande Bharat Express 6 Days a week
12 20901/20902 Mumbai Central-Gandhinagar Capital 6 Days a week
Vande Bharat Express
---2/--2-
Vande Bharat serving Madhya Pradesh:
SN Train no. and name Frequency
1 20171/20172 Rani Kamlapati-Hazrat Nizamuddin 6 Days a week
Vande Bharat Express
2 20173/20174 Rani Kamlapati-Rewa Vande Bharat 6 Days a week
Express
3 20911/20912 Indore-Nagpur Vande Bharat Express 6 Days a week
4 22469/22470 Khajuraho-Hazrat Nizamuddin Vande 6 Days a week
Bharat Express
5 26505/26506 Khajuraho-Banaras Vande Bharat 6 Days a week
Express (introduced w.e.f. 11.11.2025)
These Vande Bharat services, inter alia, are providing connectivity to major
destinations like Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Shirdi, Nashik, Ratnagiri, Solapur,
Secunderabad, Prayagraj, Banaras, Bhopal, Ujjain, Indore, Jabalpur,
Khajuraho, Maihar, Rewa, etc. and are thereby catering to the needs of
Pilgrims and Tourists as well.
Besides, introduction of new trains including Vande Bharat train services on
any route/section depends on various factors which include:
• Capacity of that section
• Availability of path
• Availability of required rolling stock
• Availability of matching infrastructure for rolling stock
• Maintenance requirement of railway tracks and other assets
Track infrastructure
Strengthening, upgradation, modernisation and improvement of track
infrastructure is a continuous and ongoing process over Indian Railways.
The following measures are being taken by Indian Railways to upgrade
---3/--3-
railway tracks:
I. Modern track structure consisting of 60kg, 90 Ultimate Tensile
Strength (UTS) rails, Wider and heavier Pre-stressed Concrete
Sleepers (PSC) with elastic fastening, fan-shaped layout turnout on
PSC sleepers and H-beam Sleepers on girder bridges are being used
while carrying out primary track renewals.
II. The Thick Web Switches and Weldable CMS Crossings are being
used in turnout renewal works.
III. Supply of 260m long rail panels have been increased to avoid
welding of joints, thereby improving safety.
IV. Thick Web Switch Expansion Joints are being used in place of earlier
Conventional/Improved SEJs.
V. Adoption of better welding technology for rails i.e. Flash Butt
Welding.
VI. Adoption of mechanized system for track maintenance using high
output plain tampers and points & crossing tampers for improved
maintainability & reliability of track.
VII. Deployment of state-of-the-art modern machines including Rail
Grinding Machines to further improve asset reliability.
VIII. Mechanisation of track laying activities through use of track
machines like PQRS, TRT, T-28 etc.
IX. Interlocking of Level Crossing (LC) Gates for enhancing safety at LC
gates.
X. Use of advanced Phased Array technology of testing of rail and
welds.
XI. Deployment of Integrated Track Monitoring Systems (ITMS) and
Oscillation Monitoring System (OMS) for comprehensive health
assessment to ascertain optimal maintenance requirements.
---4/--4-
XII. Adoption of portable Track Measuring Trolley for continuous
recording of track parameters in yards.
Using web enabled Track Management System (TMS) for integration and
data analytics of the track inspection records received through various
sources to enable precise maintenance inputs.
As a result of above measures, there has been significant increase in
speed potential of the tracks. The details of speed potential of railway
tracks during 2014 vis-a-vis 2025 are as under:
Sectional 2014 2025 (up to Dec’25)
Speed
(kmph)
Track Km % Track Km %
130 & above 5,036 6.3 23,010 21.8
110 - 130 26,409 33.3 61,234 57.9
< 110 47,897 60.4 21,428 20.3
Total 79,342 100 1,05,672 100
Affordable Fares
Railways are running different types of train services like suburban
locals/ordinary, non-suburban local/ordinary, Mail/Express, Superfast trains,
Garib Rath, Gatimaan, Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto, Mahamana, Amrit
Bharat, Vande Bharat, Vande Bharat Sleeper, Namo Bharat Rapid Rail,
Humsafar, Tejas, Special trains on special charges etc.
Railways always strive to provide affordable services to all strata of society.
Accordingly, it operates different categories of train services to cater to the
---5/--5-
travel needs of various categories of society which include trains with lower
fare to give benefit to underprivileged section of the society and also trains
with enhanced facilities.
Indian Railways gave subsidy of ₹ 60,466 crore on passenger tickets in
2023-24. This amounts to concession of 45% on an average, to every person,
travelling on Railways. In other words, if the cost of providing service is
₹ 100, then the price of ticket is ₹ 55 only. This subsidy is continuing for all
passengers. Further, concessions beyond this subsidy amount are
continuing for many categories like 4 categories of Persons with Disabilities
(Divyangjans), 11 categories of patients and 8 categories of students.
Local cuisine options
The menu of prestigious Vande Bharat trains are being designed by Indian
Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC), on the basis of
regional/popular demand by the travelling passengers. IRCTC has introduced
Regional/local cuisines of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh in the Vande
Bharat trains operating in the states, towards offering a more personalized
experience. Some of the Regional/local dishes introduced are Paneer
Kolhapuri, Murg Kolhapuri, Kobhichi Bha, Batata Muttor Bhaji, Batata Poha,
Kanda Poha, Indori Poha, Sev tamatar sabji, Ajwain paratha, Ragi Bhakhri,
Patra Bhagar, Khoya Chicken, Ragi Thepla, Bhey (Spicy Lotus stems), etc.
Introduction of these Regional/local dishes have given passengers the
opportunity to enjoy authentic local flavors and connect with the local
culture.
*****