Vande Bharat Sleeper : North Eastern Railway will soon get the gift of a well-equipped Vande Bharat train. The first semi-high speed train Vande Bharat can run between Patna and Delhi via Banaras-Prayagraj Rambagh. There is a proposal to run a sleeper Vande Bharat train between Gorakhpur and Delhi as well. The Railway Ministry is preparing to run a sleeper Vande Bharat train from December 2025 on the lines of Rajdhani Express. This new train will provide better facilities to the passengers than Rajdhani Express trains.
Currently, ten sleeper trains are being constructed under the supervision of the Railway Board. The work is in the final stage. Currently, only 8 and 16 coach chair car Vande Bharat trains are running on the Indian Railways, including the North Eastern Railway. These include two Vande Bharat trains running from Gorakhpur: Gorakhpur-Ayodhya-Lucknow-Prayagraj and Gorakhpur-Muzaffarpur-Patliputra. More comfortable sleeper Vande Bharat trains will now run on identified routes of the North Eastern Railway.
Extensive testing of sleeper trains is underway on a large scale. The deficiencies are being rectified so that better facilities can be provided to the passengers. In the coming days, only Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat trains will be operated by Indian Railways. Northeast Railway has a proposal for 17 new express trains, including seven Vande Bharat and two Amrit Bharat trains, from Gorakhpur to Prayagraj via Delhi, Agra, and Varanasi. It is expected that only the pink-colored sleeper Vande Bharat train will operate between Gorakhpur and Delhi.
Railway officials say that the Vande Bharat Sleeper coaches are also being manufactured on a large scale. 200 Vande Bharat Sleeper coaches with airplane-like amenities are being built at a cost of approximately 26,000 crore rupees. Furthermore, the Railway Board has set a target of producing 3,200 more Vande Bharat coaches in two financial years.
These coaches will power more than 400 Vande Bharat trains with at least eight coaches each by 2027. These coaches are being manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, the Rail Coach Factory (RCF) in Kapurthala, and the Modern Coach Factory in Rae Bareli. On July 7, 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the first Vande Bharat train from Gorakhpur Junction.
Speed will be 160 to 180 kmph
The new sleeper Vande Bharat train will have 16 coaches, which will include 11 AC three tier, 4 AC two tier, and one AC first class compartment. The Vande Bharat sleeper train will be a semi high speed and self-propelled train set, capable of running at a speed of 160 kmph to 180 kmph. The train will have advanced features like specially designed night lighting, visual displays with integrated announcement system, surveillance cameras, and modular kitchen units.
The Vande Bharat Sleeper will offer passengers high levels of comfort, including well-furnished coaches and padded berths. The new design allows passengers to comfortably access the upper berths. Advanced bio-vacuum toilets, similar to those in airplanes, will be installed throughout the train. The train will also include facilities for disabled passengers and baby care facilities. The AC First Class section will also feature shower facilities with hot water supply. Passengers will enjoy individual reading lights, power outlets, and a breakfast table. The doors automatically open upon stopping.
The Vande Bharat Sleeper will be equipped with a Kavach system based on indigenous anti-collision technology, providing complete safety to the train. It will prevent collisions and prevent potential accidents. The train will have a dust-free environment inside and the temperature will be controlled. Each coach will be monitored by a centralized coach monitoring system and CCTV cameras.