Rajdhani means Capital. Rajdhani Express is a series of passenger trains which is operated by Indian Railways from the national capital, New Delhi to the capitals or largest cities of various States in India. This was introduced in 1969 and is among the most premium services operated by Indian Railways. This train gets highest priority on the railway network.
Genesis
Indian Railways is called the lifeline of the nation. It was started in 1853. The first passenger train ran from Bori Bunder in Mumbai to Thane. It was pulled by three steam engines and it ran for a distance of about 34 kilometres. During the British era, the rail network was extended across India. In 1951, three years after India’s independence, separate systems of railways spread across India was brought under a single government owned and run Indian Railways. It was then organised into several zones for better administration. So when did Rajdhani Express come into the picture?
It all started in 1960 when the Railway Board of India decided to conduct a study to increase the speed of the trains on its broad gauge lines. The speed of the trains at the time was 96 km/h. The target was to reach a speed of 160 km/h eventually, with a starting target of 120 km/h for passenger trains. Research Design and Standards Organisation started to research on this in 1962 and began its field trials in 1967. The coaches were specially designed and manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory in Madras.
In February, 1969, the new express train which could reach the speeds of 120 km/h was announced in the railway budget and on 1st March, 1969, the first Rajdhani Express ran from Delhi to Howrah. The return journey commenced on 3rd March, 1969. The entire trip was completed in 17 hours and 20 minutes. The second Rajdhani was introduced from Mumbai in 1972.
Coaches
Rajdhani has fully air-conditioned coaches. There is no unreserved compartment. Tickets have to be reserved in advance. Earlier they had chair cars but now they have only sleeper coaches There are three varieties:
- First class – coupe with a separate door and area which is exclusive, four seats with two berths on each side. Total 4 people could be accommodated.
- Two tier AC (in short, 2AC) – containing 6 berths per bay (4 berths on one side) and two on the side windows which is on the side of the aisle.
- Three tier AC (in short, 3AC) – contains 8 berths per bay – that is, 6 on one side of the aisle and two on the other side.
Tejas- Rajdhani Express
July 2021 saw a major change being introduced in the Rajdhani Express. New Tejas coaches with special features were introduced. Coaches had new variety of air suspensions, bio toilets, Wifi, CCTV, special reading lights, dedicated power sockets and passenger information system.
Features
This is considered to be a premium train operated by Indian Railways and has higher priority on the network. Catering is available on the train. Passengers can opt for meals. the biggest benefit is that there are not many halts – these trains halt only at the bigger and important stations.
Connect with this train
When it was first introduced, its speed and amenities made it a wonder. Its speed was something which could not be imagined. When the first Rajdhani pulled out of Howrah, it is said that many railway employees took the day off and went to Dankuni in West Bengal to see the train go by. The train passed underneath a bridge. They wanted to experience the speed of the train from the bridge.
Even in the 1980’s, Rajdhani was special. When it passed by, children and adults would gawk at it. It could be identified easily due to dark glasses which shielded the interiors. It was a special moment.
Rajdhani was a hit as soon as it was launched. The feeling of flying or being on an aeroplane was experienced in the train.
The first train, as stated, ran from Delhi to Howrah. When the train passed through Tundla, people gathered to watch the train pass by without stopping at the station. Apparently, a goods train had derailed a few miles ahead of its path. Rajdhani had to halt. It was felt by the staff that they would not reach on time. But one of the officers went to the spot and cleared the track and Rajdhani did not have to stop for long. There was still a delay of around half an hour. Being the maiden run, the staff operating the train did not want to reach late. They decided to push the train to the maximum possible speed to me up and they did reach on time.
The tickets back then was also special. It was like a folio like air tickets. The image on the tickets said everything, Qutub Minar on one side and Howrah bridge on the other. Porters were not allowed inside the train and the coach attendants escorted the passengers to their seats. Music was played and recordings of news broadcast on AIR was also played. There was a lounge within the train where the passengers could meet up.
Some of the people who have travelled during the initial years may recollect starting the day in the train with tea and snacks to dinner. Apparently, their specialty was continental cuisine.
The train was a class apart from the others but the passengers also treated the train as something special. Women and men would dress up formally and be at their formal best to travel on this train.
It was such a class apart that even now the train’s anniversaries are being celebrated by rail enthusiasts across the country. The 50th anniversary was celebrated in 2019. The railways greeted all passengers with a card and a pamphlet with the history of the train. The coaches carried stickers and banners. New linen was put out for passengers. The railways and rail enthusiasts celebrated this train on this day.
Some Memories
Ratan Chandra Chandra was the assistant commercial manager (catering) in Eastern Railway. He passed away in 2016. When the train was first introduced, he joined the train as catering manager. He would carry chocolates with him and distribute it to the children travelling in Rajdhani. This became so popular that the railways introduced chocolates as part of the deal on the train. He would taste every dish before it could be served to the passenger. It is said that one of the key features of the train was the food which became so popular because of him. If necessary, he would cater to the individual needs of the passengers.
Rajdhani today
As there are many Rajdhani trains, the feel is not exactly the same though it is still different from other trains. In terms of speed, other trains like Vande Bharat are speedier than Rajdhani. The competition from other trains and from flights have ensured that it is no longer an exclusive train. The removal of chair car and introduction of the sleeper coaches have made this special luxury train into a more ordinary train.
The famed Rajdhani comfort has definitely taken a beating since the railway staff are unable to cater to so many passengers. The food itself has been changed drastically. Food is now outsourced to private vendors. However, first class passengers’ food still gets prepared on board.
Keeping in mind the history of the train and the fact that it still is kept cleaner than the other trains, it still reaches on time (higher priority on the network) and it is still more comfortable than the flights, it might be worthwhile to try travelling by this train.
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