Bangalore Rajdhani Express


The 22691 / 22692 Bengaluru - Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express. This train connects Bengaluru and Delhi. It was the fastest service on the Bangalore & Delhi sector before Yeshvantapur Delhi Sarai Rohilla AC Duronto Express running via Secunderabad-Nagpur-Bhopal-Agra route.

History

Originally introduced in 1992, this was a weekly train, then converted to bi-weekly, tri-weekly and then four times a week. In end of March 2010, service 12493/12494, which later became 22693/22694 was added to make it a daily service. This was the first Rajdhani where overnight service standard was changed - the distance being greater than what can be covered overnight at Indian Railway's speeds. It covers a distance of kilometres in KSR Bangalore City to Hazrat Nizamuddin direction and it takes 33 hours 55 mins when operating as train number 22691 at an average speed of while its return journey as train number 22692 takes 33 hrs 55 mins to cover at an average speed of thus making it the second fastest train on the Bangalore - Delhi sector running via Secunderabad-Nagpur-Bhopal-Agra route. Currently 22693/94 is being planned to be revived again in Yeshvantapur Junction - Hazrat Nizamuddin route, which will either run via Hubli or Hubballi-Pune-Vadodara-Kota route or run via Raichur-Solapur-Bhusaval-Bhopal-Agra route.

Service

Bengaluru Rajdhani Express is the 2nd fastest train on the Bengaluru - Delhi sector after Yeshvantapur Delhi Sarai Rohilla AC Duronto Express. It is a daily service. It operates as train number 22691 from Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna to Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station and as train number 22692 in the reverse direction. It has been converted into a daily service from 1 July 2017.

Coach composition

The Bangalore Rajdhani generally has a 1 AC 1st Class, 5 AC 2 tier, 11 AC 3 tier, 1 Pantry car, 2 End on Generator coaches taking the total up to 20 coaches. 22693/22694 received LHB coaches effective 20 April/21 April 2012. 22691/22692 Bangalore Rajdhani also received LHB coaches effectively from 09/08/2012 thus making it to run entirely with LHB coaches since 9 August 2012.

Routes & Halts

At its introduction it was hauled by Kazipet based WDM-3A till Secunderabad Junction railway station after which a Ghaziabad based WAP-1 or WAP 4 used to haul it for the remainder of the journey. The electric locomotive link was changed to WAP 7 in 2007. In 2010, the Krishnarajapuram loco shed took over with its WDM-3A and in 2013, the WDP 4 locomotive which was used till Secunderabad Junction railway station after which rest of the journey was hauled by Tughlakabad or Lallaguda based WAP 7.
With the completion of electrification between Bangalore City Junction and Guntakal on 30 June 2017, it is currently hauled end to end by a Lallaguda or Krishnarajapuram based WAP 7.
As of February 2020 it is hauls by a Tughlakabad or Lallaguda based WAP 7 locomotive on its entire journey.

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