Rapid infrastructure development has become a hallmark of the Devendra Fadnavis regime. His foresight and swift decision-making have led to the expansion of road and rail infrastructure to facilitate modern transportation across different parts of the state. Many old projects that were neglected or stuck because of various reasons in the past have been revived by him, clearing all obstacles. Nagpur Metro and Pune Metro are the two major urban transportation initiatives that took place during the first Devendra Fadnavis government. Both are undergoing regular expansions to bring vast areas into metro networks. Now, adding to that is another significant infrastructure push for these two cities and the regions in between: the Nagpur (Ajni)–Pune Vande Bharat Express.
The inauguration journey of the Nagpur-Pune Vande Bharat Express was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi through a virtual ceremony on Sunday, August 10, 2025, while Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari were present at Nagpur station for the event. The Nagpur-Pune Vande Bharat service will cover a distance of approximately 881 kilometres, saving passengers about 5 hours of travel time. Earlier, the journey on this route would take 17 hours; now it will be completed in 12 hours. The train has an average speed of 73 kmph and will stop at the following major stations:
- Wardha
- Badnera
- Akola
- Bhusawal
- Jalgaon
- Manmad
- Kopargaon
- Ahilyanagar
- Daund
India’s Longest Route Vande Bharat Train
Thanks to the efforts of Devendra Fadnavis, the railway ministry agreed to run a Vande Bharat Express between Nagpur and Pune, making it presently the longest route of this premier train service. This train not only offers a shorter and cheaper journey between the two cities but also provides excellent amenities. It offers both Chair Car and Executive Chair Car options, with meals included in the ticket price, which makes the journey even more comfortable and safe. Previously, people from Vidarbha could only travel from Nagpur to Pune by private vehicles or expensive buses, which was time-consuming and expensive for ordinary citizens. Considering this problem, the state government requested the central government to start the Nagpur-Pune Vande Bharat service. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw responded positively, and the train was subsequently launched.
This is a significant step to achieve the much-needed direct train service between the two cities. This will unlock immense development potential, given Nagpur and Pune are two of the fastest-growing cities in the country. Besides making travel easier for passengers, new opportunities will pour in for the in-between regions. This train will connect religious sites in Western Maharashtra and Vidarbha, thereby boosting tourism in these regions.
So many Vande Bharat trains are running in Maharashtra!
Devendra Fadnavis’s visionary leadership is a big asset for the state. Whichever infrastructure or communication project his government proposes or approves has solid logic, economics, and people considerations. For example, the present Nagpur(Ajni)-Pune Vande Bharat Express takes the Ahilyanagar-Daund line and then changes to the Daund-Pune line, as there is no direct line between Nagpur and Pune. But this detour makes the journey more than 100 km longer, raising the ticket fare and journey time. So, Fadnavis has demanded that the central government construct a more direct track between Nagpur and Pune, which would save passengers considerable time and money. But this new route will serve another purpose, i.e., the industrial belts of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Ahilyanagar, and Pune will have both railway and highway connectivity. This shows how a visionary leader can make a large impact through his decisions. Currently, a total of four Vande Bharat trains are running from Vidarbha, namely Nagpur-Secunderabad, Nagpur-Indore, Bilaspur-Nagpur, and now Nagpur-Pune. Meanwhile, 12 Vande Bharat trains are running across Maharashtra, connecting different parts of the country to the state. Devendra Fadnavis’s initiatives are again evident in ensuring so many Vande Bharat routes in Maharashtra.
The Infra Man of Maharashtra, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s every infrastructure initiative has profound social and economic implications behind them. The amount of progress in Maharashtra is at its best whenever he is at the helm. Bringing so many Vande Bharat routes to Maharashtra is a testament to his outstanding initiatives.