Bengaluru: Indian Railways and the Vande Bharat sleeper train are preparing to launch the service. Reports indicate that two more Vande Bharat sleeper trains will be ready by March. Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) and the Integral Coach Factory are engaged in their construction.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the first Vande Bharat sleeper train on January 17th in Malda, which currently operates between Howrah and Guwahati. This 16-coach train has capacity for 823 passengers. It can run at a speed of 180 kmph and is equipped with a Kavach safety system.
According to BEML’s original agreement with the Chennai-based Integral Coach Factory (ICF), a total of 10 16-coach sleeper rakes were to be delivered to the Indian Railways by March 31st. However, ICF sources indicate that the deadline will be missed.
An ICF official told the media, “We expect the third and fourth Vande Bharat rakes to be delivered before the end of March. For the remaining six rakes, we are trying to ensure that one rake is delivered every month from then on.”
The official added, “For now, the new possible deadline for the initial batch of 10 coaches could be August. Even if they are delivered from Bengaluru, they will undergo trials, testing, and approval, so there’s no point in rushing.”
Given the huge demand for Vande Bharat sleeper trains, the Railway Ministry has officially announced plans to manufacture 260 more rakes in the future. Recently, while answering a question in the Lok Sabha, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said, “The Vande Bharat Sleeper Train program is being gradually completed by BEML and Integral Coach Factory, Chennai, and technology partners through prototype development, trials, and series production.”
According to ICF, the project is currently in the design stage and will only be launched after the completion of the initial batch of 10 rakes. A BEML spokesperson told the media that the company has not yet placed any such order.
Although the official plan is to manufacture 260 Vande Bharat Sleeper rakes, ICF sources say the factory will build 50 more rakes alone. These rakes, unlike other rakes, will have 24 coaches with a pantry car.
