The Railway Minister has dismissed reports suggesting a delay in the manufacturing process of the Vande Bharat Sleeper Train. Claims have been made that the process is being delayed due to issues with design approval. However, the Minister clarified that design approval is not a concern for the Russian company selected for the project.
According to PTI, officials from Transmashholding (TMH), the Russian company involved, reportedly stated that Indian Railways had requested the addition of toilets and pantry cars, necessitating design changes. The Railway Minister has firmly denied these claims, stating that such issues are not causing any delay in the manufacturing process.
The report stated that the company addressed the Railway Ministry’s concerns about the design change and submitted it for approval. However, the ministry has not yet given its consent. The Railway Minister has denied these claims as well. According to the agreement, the company is set to manufacture 1,920 coaches for the Vande Bharat Sleeper Train.
Work is Underway to Boost Production
Indian Railways is working quickly to increase the production of Vande Bharat Sleeper trains. The indigenously developed Vande Bharat Sleeper trains will be designed for long-distance and overnight travel. After BEML, the Rail Coach Factory in Latur is preparing to manufacture the 1,920 coaches for the sleeper trains. The national transporter has awarded the contract to manufacture these new Vande Bharat trains to three companies: BEML, Kinet Railway Solution, and a consortium of Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd and Bharat Heavy Engineering Ltd (BHEL). Kinet Railway Solution will manufacture the coaches for the Vande Bharat Sleeper Train under a USD 6.5 billion contract.
The First Vande Bharat Sleeper Train Route
The first Vande Bharat Sleeper Train will operate on the New Delhi to Srinagar route. The commercial operations of the train are expected to start in January 2025. This semi-high-speed train will travel on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link, offering passengers a better travel experience with modern amenities. The train will cover the 800 km distance between New Delhi and Srinagar in less than 13 hours. This will provide direct rail connectivity for the first time between New Delhi and the Kashmir Valley, where such connectivity is currently unavailable.