Indian Railways Considers Halting Production of Vande Bharat Trains

The Indian Railways is reportedly contemplating a halt in the production of Vande Bharat seating express trains. This comes as the country approaches a significant milestone of 100 such trains, with the latest addition, a 20-rake Vande Bharat train, arriving in Kerala earlier this month, marking the 90th train in operation.

Vande Bharat trains, which first launched on the New Delhi-Varanasi route on February 15, 2019, have transformed rail travel in India, elevating it to unprecedented levels of service and comfort. Currently, around 100 trains are in service, connecting major cities across the nation. The anticipated plan to cease production aims to coincide with reaching the 100-train threshold.

Future Focus on New Train Models

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav previously announced ambitious targets for the rail network, including the rollout of 200 Vande Bharat trains, 100 non-AC Amrit Bharat trains, and 50 Vande Sleepers in the financial years 2025-26 and 2026-27. Despite the momentum of the Vande Bharat initiative, the railways are considering reducing services on routes that exhibit low occupancy rates.

The Vande Bharat trains have gained popularity, with Kerala reporting one of the highest occupancy rates. As a result, the focus appears to be shifting towards enhancing the Vande Bharat sleeper and Amrit Bharat train offerings. The Amrit Bharat models, which come without air-conditioning, include general and sleeper coaches, and the upcoming Amrit Bharat 2.2 version will introduce air-conditioned coaches.

Manufacturing and Expansion Plans

The Integral Coach Factory in Chennai and the Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala are responsible for the manufacturing of Vande Bharat trains. The series includes various models such as Vande Sleeper and Vande Metro, also referred to as Namo Bharat. The Indian Railways plans to expand its fleet further in the coming years, aiming to meet the growing demand for efficient and modern rail travel.

As discussions continue regarding the future of Vande Bharat seating express trains, the Indian Railways remains committed to enhancing its services and offerings, ensuring that rail travel in India remains competitive and appealing to passengers.