Source – https://www.livemint.com/news/india/faster-than-rajdhani-indian-railways-to-introduce-vande-bharat-sleeper-train-by-march-2024-on-delhi-howrah-delhimumbai-11707183207116.html
Publisher – Mint
Indian Railways will introduce the sleeper coaches to Vande Bharat trains by March 2024, according to reports. The Indian Railways will start by adding an inaugural fleet of 10 Vande Bharat sleeper class trains in March 2024. According to reports, the initial routes earmarked for these trains include the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah, with trial runs anticipated to kick off in April.
While presenting the interim budget 2024 on 1 February, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said the Narendra Modi government plans to convert 40,000 normal railway bogies to Vande Bharat standards. She said that “40,000 normal rail bogies will be converted to Vande Bharat standards to enhance safety, convenience and comfort of passengers”.
The sleeper train sets of the Vande Bharat trains are currently being manufactured. The Vande Bharat trains are tailored for long-distance journeys. As electric multiple units, Vande Bharat sleeper trains promise enhanced efficiency and reduced travel times, aiming to surpass the speeds achieved by Rajdhani trains.
The Vande Bharat trains will offer a mix of sleeping berths, encompassing both AC and non-AC coaches, ranging from 16 to 20 coaches in total. Designed primarily for overnight travel, Vande Bharat sleeper trains will feature various amenities to ensure passenger comfort throughout their journey.
“The sleeper Vande Bharat train will operate on routes with overnight journey. Its first route will be on either of the trunk routes (Delhi- Mumbai, Delhi- Howrah) and is aimed to be completed latest by April,” an Indian Railways official said.
“The Vande Bharat (VB) sleeper coaches that are being designed in the ICF (Integral Coach Factory in Chennai) will cut travel time by two hours, thus reaching the destination station faster than any other train currently in the IR (Indian Railways’) system,” the official added.
