Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot flags off the Vande Bharat Express train connecting Ajmer and Delhi Cantt., at Jaipur Junction railway station. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually flagged off the train. Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra, BJP President C.P. Joshi, Member of Parliament Ramcharan Bohra, Bhagirath Choudhary, MLA Rajendra Rathore, Satish Poonia and other leders is also seen.

This is Rajasthan's first and the country's fifteenth Vande Bharat train to be launched. An official release said that it is the “world’s first semi-high speed passenger train on high rise overhead electric (OHE) territory.”

The train is making its inaugural journey between Jaipur and Delhi Cantt railway stations. The inauguration was done via video conferencing at 11 am on April 12. The regular plying of the train will start on April 13 (Thursday).

Aimed at improving connectivity between the tourist spots in Rajasthan, the Vande Bharat Express will operate between Ajmer and Delhi Cantt, with stops at Jaipur, Alwar and Gurgaon. It will connect Delhi to Pushkar and Ajmer Sharif Dargah, among other major tourist destinations.

As per an official release, the train will complete the Ajmer-Delhi Cantt journey in five hours and 15 minutes, an hour lesser than the time taken by the fastest train on the route currently. The Shatabdi Express plying between Delhi Cantt and Ajmer takes 6 hours and 15 minutes.