NEW DELHI: The Indian Railways is likely to roll out the first two rakes of highly advanced Vande Bharat sleeper trains for a trial run in one-and-a-half months.
The announcement comes as part of the government’s efforts to modernise and enhance the efficiency of the country’s railway network and add the fleets of world-class Vande Bharat sleeper version.
Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the rollout of the Vande Bharat sleeper version would start soon with an expected trial run deadline by August 15.
“This new variant of the train is expected to cater to a broader segment of passengers, offering comfortable sleeping arrangements while maintaining the speed and efficiency that the Vande Bharat brand is known for,” he said.
He added that the ministry was making efforts to run at least 200-250 Vande Bharat sleeper trains by 2029 connecting every major city and on various routes.
The minister said the trial run will involve rigorous testing of the sleeper version’s performance. “The trial runs continue at least for six months. After successful tests, the productions of many rakes of this version of train will get ramped up,” Vaishnaw said.
The indigenously developed Vande Bharat trains are known for their high speed and modern amenities, having made a mark since their inception.
“The sleeper version of the Vande Bharat train is anticipated to set a new benchmark in terms of design and technology, featuring state-of-the-art amenities to ensure a pleasant journey for passengers. The introduction of these trains is also expected to alleviate the demand pressure on existing routes,” the minister said.
Meanwhile, Indian Railways has entered its name into the Limca Book of Records for ‘most people at a public service event at multiple venues’. The ministry had organised an event on February 26, 2024, which was attended by 40,19,516 people at 2,140 venues, to mark the inauguration of road-over and road-under railway bridges and for laying the foundation stones of railway stations.
