Third Shatabdi for Chandigarh

Rail passengers travelling between the national capital and Chandigarh would now have an option of third Shatabdi Express to travel between two cities. Railways minister Pawan Kumar Bansal flagged off third Shatabdi Express connecting Chandigarh with New Delhi on Monday.

The minister flagged off the train, which would run six days a week (except Sunday), from Chandigarh – the Lok Sabha constituency of Bansal. Two pairs of Shatabdi trains are already running between New Delhi and Kalka passing through Chandigarh.

“The non-stop Chandigarh-New Delhi-Chandigarh Shatabdi Express would comprise one executive AC chair car and nine AC chair car coaches. The 12046 Chandigarh-New Delhi Shatabdi Express will depart from Chandigarh at 11.40 am to reach New Delhi at 3 pm the same day. While returning, the 12045 New Delhi- Chandigarh Shatabdi Express train will depart from New Delhi at 7.15 pm to reach Chandigarh at 10.35 pm the same day,” a Northern Railway official said.

Justifying the third Shatabdi train for Chandigarh, the official said there was a huge demand to introduce an exclusive service between Chandigarh and New Delhi at convenient timings from either end.