Navsari: Just days after Valsad became an official stoppage for the Vande Bharat Express, another city from South Gujarat, Navsari, will now also get connectivity to this semi-high-speed train, which is the fastest train between Ahmedabad and Mumbai.

This development comes after a delegation from the Navsari parliamentary constituency met Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in New Delhi earlier this week, where the demand to designate Navsari as a halt for the Vande Bharat Express was raised.

Confirming the news, local MP and Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil today said, “Vande Bharat has got a stoppage here. A world-class PM Mitra Park is being built here, which will create jobs for over 70,000 people, and for this, a stoppage for trains like the Vande Bharat is needed. We would like to thank Ashwini Vaishnaw ji, who gave a positive response to the demand for a halt of the Vande Bharat Express at Navsari.”

It is noteworthy that earlier this week, Valsad had become the 19th city in Gujarat to get Vande Bharat connectivity, after the Railways approved an experimental stoppage of the 20901/20902 Mumbai Central–Gandhinagar Capital Vande Bharat Express there.

However, the official announcement and schedule for the halt at Navsari station are yet to be issued by the railways, as two Vande Bharat trains pass through Navsari while travelling between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. One is the Gandhinagar Capital–Mumbai Central Vande Bharat Express, which starts from the state capital and halts at Ahmedabad, Anand, Vadodara, Surat, Vapi, Valsad, and Borivali before reaching Mumbai Central. The other is the Ahmedabad–Mumbai Central Vande Bharat Express, which in the morning stops only at Vadodara, Surat, Vapi, and Borivali before reaching Mumbai.

Given the fact that an additional stop has recently been approved for the Gandhinagar–Mumbai Vande Bharat Express, it is likely that this same train might be halting at Navsari.

Interestingly, Navsari will become the third such halt on the Ahmedabad–Mumbai route that has been granted following the efforts of local MPs. Earlier, Anand was not a stoppage, but due to the efforts of local MP Mitesh Patel, the halt was approved. Similarly, the halt at Valsad was granted recently after efforts by local MP Dhaval Patel. DeshGujarat