Vande Bharat running at an average capacity of 99%

New Delhi, DHNS: The Indian Railways on Saturday said the semi-high-speed train Vande Bharat Express is a favourite among passengers, with an average occupancy rate of 99 per cent.

The Mumbai-Gandhinagar route has the maximum occupancy rate of 127.67 per cent, while the Nagpur-Bilaspur route has the lowest occupancy rate of 52.86 per cent, according to the report prepared by the Indian Railways.

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The railway prepared an occupancy chart of all eight Vande Bharat Express trains between April 1 2022, and February 8, 2023.

The Mysuru-Chennai Vande Bharat service has an occupancy rate of 68.26 per cent, while the return route has a 78.12 per cent occupancy rate.

The recently-launched Secunderabad-Visakhapatnam Vande Bharat train and Howrah-New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat trains are also successful, with over 100 per cent occupancy rate in both directions.

The first Vande Bharat Express between Varanasi and Delhi was launched in February 2019 and has a 121.51 per cent occupancy rate towards Delhi, and a 125.89 per cent for return journey.

The second Vande Bharat Express, from Katra to New Delhi, launched in October 2019, also attracts passengers with a 106.35 per cent occupancy rate, and 104.89 per cent occupancy on its return journey.

New Delhi-Andaura in Himachal Pradesh Vande Bharat train is showing a mixed occupancy. New Delhi-Andaura has an occupancy rate of 77.92 per cent, while the return journey currently has an average occupancy of around 57.18 per cent.

Nagpur-Bilaspur Vande Bharat service is showing below 60 per cent occupancy in both directions, says railways data.

At present, the railway produces two Vande Bharat trains each month. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently said the production would be ramped-up, and the plan is to make three Vande Bharat trains per week by the end of the next fiscal year. These trains will connect every important place in the country, he said.