Source: https://www.financialexpress.com/infrastructure/railways/indian-railways-projects-in-2023-hydrogen-powered-vande-metro-vande-bharat-express-sleeper-class-vande-bharat-3-0-irctc-amrit-bharat-scheme/2933626/
Publisher: Financial Express
Upcoming projects by Indian Railways: The Indian Railway is currently manufacturing hydrogen-fuel cell powered eco-friendly Vande Metro trains which will replace the old trains that were designed in 1950s-60s.
Vande Bharat has changed the travel experience for the average middle-class train traveller. An amazing example of ‘Make In India’, Vande Bharat trains have come a long way since their inception in 2019. With a minimum speed of 160 kmph and facilities better than Shatabdi trains, Vande Bharat has proved to be a boon for the travel industry.
But if you thought this is the best travel experience you will get, you are about to be proven wrong for good! 2023 is going to be a game-changer for the Indian Railways with Vande Metro trains being the front runner. After the success of the high-speed Vande Bharat Express trains, the launch of Vande Metro trains in 2023 is set to enrich your travel time with the best of services. And, that’s not all! Wondering what else 2023 has in store for you? Let’s dive in! First, an insight into India’s first Hydrogen-powered Vande Bharat trains.
This is one of the biggest green initiatives by the Indian Railways as Hydrogen trains save fuel and make very little noise resulting in almost no pollution at all. These trains will reportedly only emit steam and evaporated water. This is going to be India’s first and the world’s second hydrogen train as Germany is the only country to have introduced the world’s first hydrogen-powered trains.
Although the exact date of launch has still not been revealed, Vaishnaw has said that the design should be out anywhere between May and June 2023.
Vande Bharat 3.0 : Sleeper-Class Vande Bharat Express
Your travel for longer journeys is about to get a whole lot easier and more exciting in 2023. The Indian Railways are working on Vande Bharat-3 design which will incorporate sleeper class, and make travel easier for longer routes. According to the official information that has been revealed by the Ministry of Railways, a tender for manufacturing 200 new rakes of these new-generation Vande Bharat trains has been floated. All these 200 rakes of Vande Bharat will only be designed for sleeper class.
According to an ANI report, these trains will probably be made with an aluminum body and will be 2-3 tons lighter if you compare it to the previous versions of Vande Bharat. The report further states that the sleeper class coaches will have a wi-fi facility and LED screens which will also show passenger information. To make travelling simpler, safer, and more comfortable, the trains will install automatic fire sensors and GPS systems as well.
Amrit Bharat Station Scheme: Revamping the railway stations
The Amrit Bharat Station scheme was recently launched by the Indian Railways with the long-term vision of developing the infrastructure of more than 1,000 stations on a continuing basis. According to the official release, the scheme will ensure that all categories of stations have high-level platforms (760-840 mill meter). In fact, the Master Plans developed under this scheme will completely change the face of stations.
This would include widening of roads, removing unwanted structures, properly designed signages, dedicated pedestrian pathways, well-planned parking areas, and even better lighting. Considering the area available at these railway stations, attempts will be made to club different grades/types of waiting halls and provide good cafeteria/retail facilities as far as possible. Suitable low-level partitions may be done in waiting halls.
