August Kranti Rajdhani Express


The 12953 / 12954 August Kranti Rajdhani Express is a train which connects to in India. It is named after the August Kranti Maidan formerly known as the Gowalia Tank Maidan from where the Quit India Movement was launched in August 1942.

History

Unlike other Rajdhani Express which were introduced specifically, this Rajdhani Express was originally introduced as an AC Express between the then Bombay and New Delhi. This train was introduced in the budget year of 1991 by the then Railway Minister, C. K. Jaffer Sharief and its service was started from the year of 1992.
At that time it used to imply thrice a week. Later on with huge increasing demand on the then Mumbai Rajdhani Express, this train was upgraded to Rajdhani Express and was renamed as August Kranti Rajdhani Express.

Service

Introduced in 1992, the 12953/12954 August Kranti Rajdhani Express is a daily service. It operates as train number 12953 from Mumbai Central to Hazrat Nizamuddin and as train number 12954 in the reverse direction. It shares its rake with 12951/52 Mumbai Rajdhani Express. It covers a distance of 1,377 kilometres in each direction however it takes 17 hours 15 mins when operating as train number 12953 at an average speed of 79.83 km/h while its return journey as train number 12954 takes 17 hours 05 mins at an average speed of 80.60 km/h. The other trains on the route, that run faster than 12953/12954 August Kranti Rajdhani Express is the 12951/12952 Mumbai Rajdhani Express.
It leaves Mumbai Central as train number 12953 from platform number 1 on a daily basis and at the end of 14 halts arrives at Hazrat Nizamuddin the next day. Train number 12954 leaves Hazrat Nizamuddin on a daily basis arriving at Mumbai Central the next day. Over the years several minor halts at Borivali, Andheri, Vapi, Valsad, Bharuch, Nagda, Sawai Madhopur, Mathura have been introduced.

Coach composition

The August Kranti generally has 1 AC 1st Class, 5 AC 2 tier, 1 pantry car, 2 luggage cum generator coach and 11 AC 3 tier coaches taking the total up to 20 coaches.

Route & Halts

It is regularly hauls by a Vadodara based WAP 7 equipped locomotive on its entire journey.