Vande Bharat sleeper train on track for rollout, protoype made; subject to field trials
New Delhi: The first prototype of the Vande Bharat Sleeper train set has been successfully manufactured and is set to undergo field trials soon, Union Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Rajya Sabha on Friday.
The timeline for the rollout of these trains will depend on the successful completion of these trials, the minister added.
Highlighting the significance of the development, Vaishnaw stated that the Vande Bharat sleeper trains, designed for long and medium-distance journeys, are equipped with advanced features and enhanced passenger amenities. These include compliance with KAVACH, India’s indigenous train collision avoidance system, and EN-45545 HL3 fire safety standards. The trains also boast a crashworthy car-body design adhering to European standards, semi-permanent couplers for jerk-free travel and anti-climbers to enhance safety during collisions.
The new train sets incorporate a regenerative braking system for energy efficiency and support higher average speeds, thanks to quicker acceleration and deceleration. Emergency communication systems, centralised coach monitoring for amenities such as air conditioning and lighting and CCTV surveillance in all coaches are among the features aimed at enhancing passenger safety and comfort. The trains are also equipped with ergonomically designed ladders for ease of climbing to upper berths, automatic plug doors, and accessible toilets for passengers with restricted mobility in driving coaches at both ends.
Vaishnaw also highlighted the current operations of the Vande Bharat train services, which have become a game-changer in Indian Railways. As of December 2, this year, a total of 136 Vande Bharat train services with chair car coaches are operational across the railway network. Of these, 16 services are catering to stations in Tamil Nadu. The longest-distance Vande Bharat train currently runs is between Delhi and Varanasi, covering a distance of 771 km. The introduction of new train services, including Vande Bharat and its variants, is an ongoing process, Vaishnaw noted. However, these are subject to factors such as traffic justification, operational feasibility and resource availability. The variant is expected to transform long-distance rail travel in India.
