Vande Bharat train fares exorbitant, says Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel

RAIPUR: Pointing out that he was neither invited nor informed about the launch of the Nagpur-Bilaspur Vande Bharat Express on December 11, Chhattisgarh chief minister on Tuesday said that it was the second time that Railway Board hasn't kept the CM in the loop despite a significant activity being organized in his state.
CM Baghel also said that the Vande Bharat tariff is too high and doesn't cater to the middle and lower middle classes, let alone the poor."The Railway Board doesn't feel it necessary to inform the chief minister of the state where it's launching a new train. Let alone inviting the chief minister, I wasn't even informed about such an event in the state. At least they could have sent an invitation to the CM," Baghel said.
He added that it was the second such incident. "Earlier, a train was started in Antagarh in Bastar region. Then, too, the railways didn't bother to inform me," he said.
"The Vande Bharat Express is a gift to the state by Prime Minister Narendra Modi but the tariff is so high that a common man cannot board the train," Baghel said.