Railways to start the first Delhi-Mumbai Rajdhani through Central Zone

New Delhi: The Indian Railways soon to start new premium superfast Rajdhani expresses from the national capital to financial capital Mumbai, covering the Central railway zone (Madhya Pradesh), instead of Gujarat. The new train will cover Kalyan, Nasik and Khandwa, the rail minister Piyush Goyal told media persons on Thursday.

"This will be the first such train passing through the Central zone, covering Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Kalyan, Nasik, Jalgaon, Khandwa, Bhopal, Jhansi, Agra, and Hazrat Nizamuddin. This was a request from the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis," he mentioned. Both Goyal and Fadnavis will show the green flag to the proposed Rajdhani train, once the CM office confirms the date.

At present, there are two Rajdhani trains running between Delhi and Mumbai.

Ahead of the Kumbh Mela and Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, mid of this month in Allahabad, the government is likely to introduce four special trains- Train-18 is one of them.

Sources said that the train is supposed to be flagged off after the Makar Sankranti. The rail minister further referred on that matter, "We have successfully tested the train and the suggestions are being incorporated. Very soon the train will be dedicated to the nation and we have requested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi flag it off. This train will run between Delhi and Varanasi in eight hours and the fastest train between the two cities takes 11.30 hours."

The current fleet size of Rajdhani trains is 23, with two catering to Mumbai.