Seventh anniversary of Mumbai-Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express celebrated at CSMT

The Central Railway on Monday celebrated the seventh anniversary of the CSMT-Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express, the country's first long-distance passenger train to operate with push-pull technology.

Passengers, railway enthusiasts, and CR employees were present at CSMT station when the train departed for its destination.

The anniversary celebration involved beating of drums, cutting of cake, decoration of the train with flowers and garlands, as per railway officials.

The 22221/22222 Rajdhani Express was introduced on January 19, 2019, between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Hazrat Nizamuddin as a bi-weekly service with a rake comprising one First AC, three AC 2-Tier, eight AC 3-Tier coaches, and a pantry car.

However, due to an overwhelming passenger response, the train was augmented within a month to one First AC, five AC 2-Tier, 12 AC 3-Tier coaches and a pantry car.

The train has the distinction of being the first in the country to run in push-pull mode under Indian Railways' 'Mission Raftar', with locomotives attached at both the front and rear, eliminating the need for banker engines in ghat sections and thereby reducing travel time, according to a CR release.

The train frequency was increased to four days a week from September 13, 2019, and from its second anniversary on January 19, 2021, it was made a daily service.

At present, the Rajdhani Express departs from CSMT at 4 pm daily and arrives at Hazrat Nizamuddin at 9.55 am the next day. It leaves Hazrat Nizamuddin at 4.55 pm daily and reaches CSMT at 11.15 am the following day.

The train is proving beneficial to the passengers from Mumbai and its suburban regions, as well as those from Nashik, Jalgaon, and Bhusaval, by providing faster and more convenient connectivity to the national capital, the release said, adding that the iconic Rajdhani Express symbolises the progress of Indian Railways by delivering speed, comfort, and operational efficiency to passengers.

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