Outlook Business Desk
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off three new Vande Bharat Express trains from KSR Railway Station in Bengaluru on Sunday, August 10. The high-speed trains aim to improve regional connectivity, cut travel time, and provide a modern travel experience for passengers across key routes.
With the three new launches, India now operates 150 Vande Bharat Express trains, railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said. Karnataka’s 11th Vande Bharat service runs between Bengaluru and Belagavi, and covers 611 km in 8 hours 20 minutes, saving over an hour in travel time. It runs six days a week.
Maharashtra’s 12th Vande Bharat, running between Ajni and Pune, is India’s longest-running such train, covering 881 km with 10 stops at 73 km/h. Meanwhile, the Shree Mata Vaishnodevi Katra–Amritsar service takes 5 hours 40 minutes, improving connectivity between the shrine and Amritsar for pilgrims, tourists, and local commuters.
In addition, PM Modi also inaugurated the 19 km Metro Yellow Line from RV Road (Ragigudda) to Bommasandra, part of Bengaluru Metro Phase 2, on August 10, 2025. Costing ₹7,160 crore to build, the line has 16 stations and will benefit over 8 lakh commuters daily in the city’s southern districts.
Alongside the Yellow Line inauguration, Modi laid the foundation stone for Bengaluru Metro Phase 3. This ₹15,610 crore project will span 44 km with 31 elevated stations, aiming to ease congestion and connect more neighbourhoods in the growing city.
Meanwhile, in Delhi, Modi unveiled 184 newly built Type-VII multi-storey flats for Members of Parliament (MPs) at Baba Kharak Singh Marg on August 11, 2025. The project addresses housing shortages for MPs by providing modern, eco-friendly residences designed in a vertical housing format to optimise land use.
Each flat offers around 5,000 sq ft of carpet area with separate sections for offices, staff, and residential needs. Reports say these flats are even more spacious than the Type-VIII bungalows, the highest category of government housing, offering improved facilities for MPs.
The MP housing complex integrates green technology, renewable energy systems, and energy-efficient fittings. It has earned a GRIHA 3-star rating and complies with the National Building Code 2016, aiming to reduce operational costs while conserving resources for long-term sustainability.