Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday flagged off the much-awaited AC double-decker train for Lucknow from here.

There had been a demand for the double-decker train from residents of Lucknow and on Sunday it was fulfilled, Mr. Singh said after launching the train at Anand Vihar station. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, East Delhi MP Mahesh Girri and senior railway officials were present on the occasion.

The AC double-decker train will be a bi-weekly service (Fridays and Sundays) starting from May 1. It will depart from Anand Vihar station at 2-10 p.m. and will reach Lucknow at 10-50 p.m. the same day. In the return leg, the train will depart from Lucknow at 5 a.m. to reach Anand Vihar at 1 p.m.

Thanking Railway Minister for connecting Lucknow with the national Capital with a double-decker service, Mr. Singh requested him to increase the frequency of the train and to start it from New Delhi station instead of Anand Vihar.

“The train is bi-weekly now. If it can be made daily, it will be better. So I am requesting to make it daily service,” said Mr. Singh, who represents Lucknow in the Lok Sabha.

According to the Railways, the demand for making the service daily and starting it from New Delhi is being considered.

Mr. Prabhu said efforts of railways are to provide comfortable and safe journey to passengers and the launching of AC double-decker service is a step in that direction.

“People from U.P., Bihar and other areas come to the Capital for job and we should ensure that they travel back to their homes safely and without hassle,” Mr. Prabhu said.

The double-decker train will have 12 coaches having 120 seats in each. It will run approximately at a maximum speed of 110 kmph and the fare is fixed at Rs. 630 for travelling between Lucknow and New Delhi.

Railways are currently running AC double-deckers on a few routes including Howrah-Dhanbad, Mumbai-Ahemedabad, Delhi-Jaipur and Bangalore-Chennai. - PTI