Working towards the goal of starting over 400 Vande Bharat trains across the country by 2025, the Northern Railways on Friday conducted a trial run of an advanced model of the aforesaid elite train between Sahnewal and New Morinda Junction railway station.
Notably, union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her budget speech in February this year, had announced plans to start 400 Vande Bharat trains across the country in the next three years. Currently, two such trains are running from Delhi to Katra and Delhi to Varanasi.
Now, the railways is gearing up to manufacture Vande Bharat train sets with advanced and modern technology, including higher speed.
As a part of the ongoing process, according to the officials, a total of three trials of the better version of Vande Bharat train were conducted on Friday at a speed of 105 kmph.
The railways will conduct a total of five trials of the prototype rake of 16-coach formation of train set with new design propulsion system in bogies of Vande Bharat train, set up to a maximum speed of 115 kmph, on the same route.
Other than this, six trial runs will be held on August 21 on the same route.
{{/usCountry}}Other than this, six trial runs will be held on August 21 on the same route.
{{/usCountry}}Senior Northern Railway officials deputed a set of competent Vande Bharat crew and guards for the said trials.
Railways yet to decide the date of official run of new train set
“The trials for Vande Bharat train have been scheduled, but we have no information regarding the exact date of its official run. These are the oscillation trials and the train is being run carrying sandbags for now,” Seema Sharma, divisional rail manager, Ferozepur Division, said.
According to the officials, railways has made a road map to come up with semi-high speed Vande Bharat train sets with a speed much higher than the existing trains. Officials added that the high speed train sets would improve passengers experience by cutting down waiting time.
The existing two trains are plying at a speed of 160 kmph, but the new train sets of Vande Bharat will run at speed of 180–260 kmph.
“Seats in the Vande Bharat which ply from Delhi to Katra already remain full. Now, with over 70 such trains maximum rail traffic will be captured in the metro cities of India by next year; other prime trains, including Shatabdi and other express trains, might incur losses. The other normal trains, especially plying to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, won’t be affected by addition in elite trains,” a senior railway officer in Ludhiana said.
Moreover, the existing Vande Bharat trains already have new features introduced for passengers, including paid 3-D films and music for their entertainment.
As announced by the finance minister, in the budget speech, the 400 new Vande Bharat trains would cost the Union Government around ₹50,000 crores.