M A I N   N E W S

All set for third Shatabdi
Prabhjot Singh
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 4
Northern Railway is all set to introduce the third Shatabdi Express on the Chandigarh-New Delhi-Chandigarh sector.

According to sources, a formal announcement about the introduction of a mid-day service from Delhi to Chandigarh and an evening service to New Delhi from here is expected any day. The announcement is subject to availability of an electric engine and eight to nine coaches for 10 hours a day.

The sources reveal that all modalities for the introduction of the new service have been formalised and completed. The new Shatabdi Express would leave New Delhi at 11.15 a.m. and reach Chandigarh by 2.30 p.m. It would depart for New Delhi at 5.15 p.m. to reach there at 8.30 p.m. This way, there may be no or a little change in the timing of Himalayan Queen, which leaves for New Delhi at 5.40 p.m.

There has been a big demand from the travellers for the introduction of an evening Shatabdi to New Delhi from here. The demand, supported by both the Punjab and Haryana Governments and the Chandigarh Administration, has been found to be economically viable by Northern Railway as the occupancy in the existing two services has been nearly 90 per cent.

Sources in Northern Railway reveal that the only problem has been the availability of the coaches and the engine. One way journey on this sector takes 3 hours and 15 minutes. With one hour idling on either side and two hours required for cleaning the train at Chandigarh necessitates that engine and coaches should be available for a minimum of 10 hours a day.

“The service is certainly going to be introduced. But we cannot say from when. The only thing we can say is that this proposal is at an advanced stage of implementation,” revealed a senior functionary of Northern Railway.

At present, there are two Shatabdi services to New Delhi from here. The first one leaving Chandigarh at 6.40 a.m. and the second in the afternoon at 12.15 p.m. From New Delhi also there are two services, one departing at 7.40 in the morning and second at 5.15 in the evening.