Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], November 1 (ANI): Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday inspected the manufacturing of India's first bullet train at BEML in Bengaluru and expressed satisfaction over the progress of the project, highlighting the focus on quality and adherence to international standards.

Speaking to ANI after the inspection, the Railway Minister said that all major components of the bullet train were being manufactured, integrated and tested, with the overall process progressing well.

"Today, I conducted a thorough inspection of the bullet train currently being manufactured at BEML. The progress is excellent. All major components of the bullet train are being produced, integrated, and tested; the entire process is advancing very well, with a special emphasis on quality," Vaishnaw said.

"Given that a vacuum is created around the train at such high speeds, managing and sustaining atmospheric pressure is critical-testing is conducted at loads of 1500 kilonewtons. Great attention has been paid to every aspect, and each component has been tested according to international standards," he added.

Earlier in the day, Vaishnaw flagged off the Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper train, connecting Bengaluru's Sir M Visvesvaraya Railway Station (SMVT) with Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT).

Speaking on the occasion, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya described the new service as a valuable gift from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the people of Karnataka.

He also said that the Railway Minister had agreed to positively consider another key demand: connecting Bengaluru to Pune via Hubballi through a high-speed rail corridor.

'On this important day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a valuable gift to the people of the state: the Vande Bharat Sleeper Train Service connecting Mumbai and Bengaluru. The demand is so high that the train is already fully booked for the next three full weeks. That is the kind of demand that exists between the two cities. The Railway Minister has also agreed to consider positively the other most important demand that all of us have put forward: to connect Bengaluru to Pune via Hubballi through a high-speed rail corridor, through a bullet train corridor,' he told ANI. (ANI)