The Indian Railways will soon launch the first version of Vande Bharat Sleeper Trains. According to the details shared by the General Manager of the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Mr. B.G. Mallya, “The Vande Bharat Sleeper Coach will be introduced in the upcoming financial year, where production of the first train is underway and it is set to commence in March 2024.”
Benefits of Vande Bharat Sleeper Trains :
Vande Bharat Sleeper Trains will be a significant addition to the Indian Railways’ fleet, as they will allow passengers to undertake long-distance journeys on these high-speed trains overnight.
Development of Vande Metro :
Furthermore, Mr. Mallya mentioned that ICF is also developing the Vande Metro. The Vande Metro will be a 12-coach train designed for shorter distance travel and is expected to be launched by January 2024.
Expected Launch Date :
“We are planning to launch the sleeper version of Vande within this financial year. We are also planning to launch Vande Metro within this financial year. And we are launching this train for non-air conditioned passengers, called the AC Push-Pull train, which will consist of 22 coaches and a locomotive, and it is scheduled to launch before 31st October,” said Mr. Mallya.
Vande Bharat Express :
Vande Bharat Express, India’s semi-high-speed train, serves in all electrified railway zones across the country. With 50 operational services, Vande Bharat Express has revolutionized rail travel, offering modern amenities and reducing travel time for passengers.
Prime Minister unveiled the first Vande Bharat Express running between New Delhi and Varanasi on February 15, 2019, which was flagged off with a green flag. These trains are manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai.
The Journey to “Vande Bharat Express :
The project to build indigenous semi-high-speed trainsets began in 2017, and within 18 months, ICF Chennai completed Train 18. To emphasize its “Made in India” status and give a boost to India’s first semi-high-speed train, its name was changed to Vande Bharat Express in January 2019. The train achieved a maximum speed of 180 km/h on the Kota-Sawai Madhopur section.