Jaipur–Udaipur Vande Bharat Service Suspended Ahead of Holi; Railways Announces New Route Plan

Jaipur: In a major decision taken just ahead of the Holi festival, Indian Railways has announced the suspension of the Jaipur–Udaipur and Udaipur–Agra Vande Bharat Express services due to low passenger occupancy. The move is being seen as a significant operational change aimed at reducing losses and improving revenue efficiency.

According to railway officials, the Vande Bharat service will no longer operate between Udaipur and Jaipur from February 14, while operations on the Udaipur City–Agra route will be discontinued from February 15.

The Jaipur–Udaipur–Agra Vande Bharat Express was launched in September 2023 and initially received an enthusiastic response. However, over time, the passenger load failed to meet expectations, leading to the present decision.

Services Reduced Earlier, Now Fully Stopped

Railways had earlier attempted to manage losses by reducing the frequency of the train. The Vande Bharat Express, which was originally operating six days a week, was later restricted to three days on the Jaipur–Udaipur route and three days on the Udaipur–Agra route.

Despite these adjustments, officials said the passenger occupancy did not improve significantly, prompting the Railways to completely suspend the service on both routes.

New Route: Udaipur City–Asarwa

Railway authorities have clarified that the same Vande Bharat rake will now be deployed on the Udaipur City–Asarwa route. The train will run six days a week, with one day reserved for maintenance.

As per the new schedule:

• The train will depart from Udaipur City at 6:10 AM and reach Asarwa at 10:25 AM.
• On the return journey, it will leave Asarwa at 5:45 PM and arrive back in Udaipur City at 10:00 PM.

Passenger Load Remained Low on Normal Days

Railway sources revealed that the train’s occupancy during regular days remained around 50 to 60 percent, though it rose to 80 to 85 percent during festivals and peak travel seasons. Many passengers found the service useful during rush periods when confirmed seats were difficult to get on other trains.

The suspension of the Jaipur–Udaipur and Udaipur–Agra services before Holi is expected to inconvenience travellers, particularly those planning holiday journeys.