Mumbai, Dec 29 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Jalna-Mumbai CSMT Vande Bharat Express train via video-link on December 30, an official said here on Friday.

This will be the fourth service on the Central Railway (CR) linking Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), the others being Mumbai-Shirdi, Mumbai-Solapur and Mumbai-Madgaon, besides other services on the Western Railway (WR).

After PM Modi waves the green flag, the new special service will depart from Jalna at 11 a.m. and arrive in Mumbai CSMT at 6.45 p.m., and en route it will be accorded a grand welcome at several stations, with a final mega event scheduled in Mumbai.

From Sunday, the regular services will start with the Vande Bharat Express departing from Jalna at 5.05 a.m. and reaching Mumbai CSMT at 11.55 a.m.

On the return sector, it will depart from Mumbai CSMT at 1.10 p.m. and reach Jalna at 8.30 p.m., and the services in both directions shall be operated for 6 days a week except Wednesday.

En route, the 8-coach train will have convenient halts at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Manmad, Nashik, Kalyan, Thane and Dadar stations on both sectors.

Currently, Jalna is in the news for the massive Maratha quota agitation launched by Shivba Sanghatana leader Manoj Jarange-Patil in his native village Antaravali-Sarati, with plans to lay siege to Mumbai from January 20, 2024.