Surekha Yadav, Asia's first female loco pilot, has added another feather to her crown by being the first female to drive the newly introduced semi-high speed Vande Bharat Express train, according to the Central Railway.

On Monday, she drove the semi-high-speed train from Solapur to Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminal (CSMT).

The train left Solapur station on time on March 13 and arrived at CSMT five minutes early, according to a Central Railway announcement, adding that after a more than 450-kilometer journey, Ms. Yadav was honoured at platform number 8 at CSMT.

"Nari Shakti powers Vande Bharat. Smt. Surekha Yadav, the Vande Bharat Express's first female loco pilot, "Ashwini Vaishnav, Minister of Railways, tweeted.

"Ms. Yadav added another feather to Central Railway's crown by becoming the first woman loco pilot of Vande Bharat Express," claimed the Central Railway.

Ms. Yadav, from Satara in western Maharashtra, became India's first female train driver in 1988. She has already received several accolades at the state and national levels for her accomplishments.

The Central Railway has introduced two Vande Bharat Express trains on the CSMT-Solapur and CSMT-Sainagar Shirdi lines, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off on February 10, 2023.
 

According to railway officials, loco piloting on new routes requires extensive training, and the crew must be watchful at all times during the train travel.

"The crew learning procedure consists of signal observation, hands-on new equipment, collaboration with other crew members, and observance of all parameters for train operation," according to the announcement.