Overview
- Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said testing and certification are complete and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to flag off the inaugural service in January.
- Fares on the Guwahati–Howrah run are set at roughly ₹2,300 for AC 3-tier, ₹3,000 for AC 2-tier and ₹3,600 for First AC.
- The 16-coach rake comprises 11 AC 3-tier, 4 AC 2-tier and 1 First AC coach with capacity for about 823 passengers.
- Final high-speed trials on the Kota–Nagda section reached 180 km/h under the Commissioner of Railway Safety, with ride stability demonstrated by a widely shared water-glass test.
- About a dozen sleeper sets are planned for induction this year as part of a wider domestic manufacturing program featuring safety systems such as KAVACH and upgraded suspension for overnight comfort.