NEW DELHI: After the successful launch of semi-high-speed Vande Bharat train, the Ministry of Railways is planning to roll out its mini version with just eight cars on pilot basis.
The normal Vande Bharat trains have 16 coaches. Vande Bharat trains with eight cars will be akin to a metro train which runs with six or eight cars. Unlike metro trains, eight-car Vande Bharat trains will cover different cities situated within a distance of 200-350 km by running at schedule timings in day or night.
If the plan goes well, the railways will be rolling out the first of the eight-car new Vande Bharat train on a route that touches commercial cities by April-May this year. The Ministry of Railways has directed the General Managers (GMs) of Chennai- based Integral Coach Factory (ICF) and Lucknow-based
Research Design and Standard Organisation (RDSO) to roll out the rakes of eight-car Vande Bharat trains at the earliest.
“The shorter version of Vande Bharat train is basically being experimented by the railways to provide safer and swift journey of short distance in various parts of the country. This service is likely to be introduced between two major cities within a distance of less than 300 to 500 km”, a senior ministry official told TNIE.
According to sources in railways, the routes are being finalised for the new type of Vande Bharat train.
“The routes of shorter distance which witness fewer footfalls of daily passengers are being discussed”, said an official. “It has been decided to manufacture Vande Bharat rakes of eight cars as proof of concept (POC) which can be further upgraded to 12-, 16- or 24-carformation”, the order to the GM said.
A senior railway official said the decision to run Vande Bharat trains with a shorter car composition
will prove a boon to the passengers, especially traders, students and working class people who want to visit different big cities.
Long and short of It
Normal Vande Bharat trains have a 16-car composition
The proposed shorter version of Vande Bharat will run with eight cars
The new shorter version of Vande Bharat train may run on routes covering shorter distance, mostly covering cities within 150-300-km range
Tentative deadline to roll out the first mini Vande Bharat train is April-May 2023
Possible routes are Amritsar-New Delhi; Pune –Mumbai; New Delhi-Agra; New Delhi- Kanpur