Vande Bharat sleeper trains: The delivery of 200 sleeper variant Vande Bharat trains of Indian Railways may take more time than initially anticipated. Negotiations regarding design modifications and train length for the nearly Rs 60,000 crore supply and maintenance contract are still ongoing, according to individuals familiar with the situation.
As a result of these discussions, progress on the prototype for the Vande Bharat sleeper train, awarded under this tender, has been slow.
The Indian Railways is determined to acquire 24-coach trains, which was stipulated in the contract. “The terms of contract allow for changing the coach composition per rake. Railways can ask for 12-, 16-, or 24-coach trains at no cost escalation,” a senior official knowledgeable about the plan told ET.
In mid-2023, Kinet Railway Solutions and a consortium of Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) and Titagarh Rail Systems (TRS) were awarded the supply and maintenance contract for 200 Vande Bharat sleeper trains. Although prototype trains were supposed to be unveiled within a year, both suppliers have yet to commence work on them.
BEML and Integral Coach Factory (ICF) of Chennai were separately contracted to supply 10 trains on a nomination basis. Earlier this month, some coaches of the BEML-ICF prototype train were displayed, with the first batch expected to enter commercial service later this year.
The Vande Bharat sleeper train, being made by BEML, is built on the Vande Bharat platform and is expected to outshine the Rajdhani Express in terms of passenger comfort, speed, and safety. With a maximum operational speed of 160 kmph and a testing speed of 180 kmph, the Vande Bharat sleeper train is engineered for efficiency. Being a self-propelled train set, it benefits from quicker acceleration and deceleration, which enhances its overall average speed compared to the Rajdhani Express.
Kinet Railway Solutions, an Indo-Russian joint venture, secured the tender to supply 120 Vande Sleeper variant trains at a cost of Rs 120 crore per 16-coach rake. The BHEL-TRS consortium’s order is for supplying 80 trains at the same cost. A spokesperson from Kinet Railway Solutions confirmed ongoing discussions with the Indian Railways.
The spokesperson said, “The company is currently liaising with the Indian Railways to finalise details of the scope change request. Once all the details have been agreed upon, a new project timeline will be defined, reflecting the revised scope. Kinet is fully committed to implementing the contract in full collaboration with IR.”