Ten Vande Bharat loco pilots, including India’s first woman loco pilot, Surekha Yadav of Central Railway, will participate in the oath-taking ceremony of PM-elect Narendra Modi in New Delhi on June 9.
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According to sources in the Southern Railway, Aishwarya Menon of Chennai Division was among the invitees. Other loco pilots and assistant loco pilots were nominated from West Central Railway, North Eastern Railway, South Eastern Railway, South Central Railway, South Western Railway, Northern Railway and North Frontier Railway.
Some employees working in the making of the Vande Bharat and Vande Metro rakes have also been invited, railway sources added.
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Rashtrapati Bhavan announced on Friday that the President will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the Prime Minister and other members of the Union Council of Ministers at 7.15 p.m. on Sunday.
The introduction of 75 of the India’s first self-propelled semi high-speed trains, one of Mr. Modi’s pet projects, to connect every corner of the country was announced on the occasion of the 75th Independence Day in 2021.
The first Vande Bharat, rolled out as ‘Train18’, was developed by engineers at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), here, with 87% indigenous components manufactured under the “Make in India” initiative and designed with a maximum operating speed of 160 kmph. Now they are also being manufactured at the Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala, and Modern Coach Factory, Raebareli.