New Delhi: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday announced that the Vande Bharat Sleeper trains will be launched soon. The second train is expected to be completed by mid-October, while the first train is already ready for use after successfully undergoing all required tests and trial runs.
Both trains are planned to be launched together to ensure regular overnight services. Officials confirmed that the first train has cleared all tests and is currently stationed at Delhi’s Shakur Basti Coaching Depot. The second train is still under manufacture and is likely to be ready by October 15.
“Both the trains will be launched together,” Vaishnaw said, emphasizing the importance of the second train in maintaining continuous regular services. “Once we receive the second rake, we will decide on the route and begin operations,” he added.
There are strong expectations that the trains will be introduced on the New Delhi-Patna route, coinciding with the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections scheduled for the end of the year.
Manufactured by BEML using Integral Coach Factory (ICF) technology, the Vande Bharat Sleeper train will feature 16 coaches, including AC First Class, AC 2-Tier, and AC 3-Tier accommodations. The train can carry up to 1,128 passengers and operate at a top speed of 180 kmph, making it one of the fastest overnight train services in India.
Passengers can look forward to world-class amenities such as integrated reading lights with USB charging ports, automated announcement and visual information systems, security cameras, modular pantries, and disabled-friendly berths and toilets.
In addition to this update, Vaishnaw and Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu briefed journalists about new railway projects in Punjab. The upcoming 18-kilometre Rajpura-Mohali line will connect the area to Chandigarh via the shortest route on the Ambala-Amritsar main line.
This new line will provide direct connectivity between Rajpura and Mohali, reduce travel distance by approximately 66 km, ease traffic on the existing Rajpura-Ambala route, and shorten the Ambala-Morinda link.
Furthermore, the Railway Ministry has proposed launching a new Vande Bharat train between New Delhi and Firozpur Cantonment. This service will cover stations including Faridkot, Bhatinda (West), Dhuri, Patiala, Ambala Cantonment, Kurukshetra, and Panipat.
According to officials, the train will cover the 486-kilometre distance between Delhi and Firozpur Cantonment in approximately 6 hours and 40 minutes. Vaishnaw expressed his intention to seek the Prime Minister’s approval for this new Vande Bharat train.
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