Vande Bharat Express: Big news for railway passengers. The Vande Bharat train’s seating arrangement might undergo a significant transformation, as senior railway engineers have suggested a modification to the chair car design. If approved, the Vande Bharat might get a whole new appearance.
The proposal was put forward by senior engineers during a meeting.
The senior engineers have recommended eliminating the rotating feature from the seats in the executive class coaches. This idea was raised during a gathering of senior engineers and coach manufacturing units. It is important to note that this proposal pertains to the design and not the passenger service.
How are the current seats arranged?
The current seats come equipped with tilting and rotating mechanisms. As per the report by railway officials, the rotating seats necessitate extra components, space, and clearance, making them more prone to wear and tear, loosening, and damage. The proposed fixed structure is expected to be sturdier and simpler to maintain.
Why was this proposal introduced?
The proposal also mentioned that by eliminating the space needed for rotation, the distance between rows could be reduced, potentially allowing for an additional row in the executive class coaches. The Railway authorities have not released any details regarding the updated seating layout or passenger capacity yet.
No immediate changes anticipated
A report from the Railway Board has instructed the senior engineer at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai to take steps regarding the suggestion. However, specific dates and other particulars have not been disclosed. Consequently, any immediate changes are not foreseen.
As per the conference records prepared by the Railway Board, there is a proposal to enhance the durability of seats in Executive Class coaches of Vande Bharat (VB) by removing the rotating function. This change would result in more robust seats, allowing for the addition of an extra row due to decreased row spacing. The Principal Chief Mechanical Engineer (PCME) of Integral Coach Factory, Chennai, has been tasked with taking steps to implement this suggestion.
Currently, the Executive Class coaches of Vande Bharat Chair Car trains are distinguished by their unique feature of seats that can rotate 180 degrees, a feature not found in other classes or trains providing seating options.
In the current setup of Vande Bharat Executive Class, passenger seats are equipped with both rotating and reclining mechanisms. This setup enables passengers to adjust their seating position to face the window, the direction of travel, or the opposite direction, depending on the train’s motion, as explained by a senior railway official.