The Railway Ministry is gearing up for the challenging target of launching 75 Vande Bharat trains over the course of 75 weeks of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, as announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day earlier this year.
According to the Railway Ministry documents seen by News18, at least 35 Vande Bharat rakes have been approved in the Coach Production Programme for the current financial year, while 67 have been approved for the next financial year (2023-24).
Prime Minister Modi will be flagging off a Vande Bharat Express, the sixth such train, connecting Nagpur and Bilaspur on December 11 when he visits Maharashtra. The Railways Ministry is aiming to induct at least 75 Vande Bharat trains by August 2023. The clock is ticking with eight months left for the deadline.
The first Vande Bharat Express train was flagged off on February 15, 2019, between New Delhi and Varanasi. The fifth such train was flagged on November 11, 2022 between Mysuru and Chennai. The official journey of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav commenced on March 12, 2021. This started a 75-week countdown to the 75th anniversary of Independence. It will end on August 15, 2023.
Speaking to News18, a ministry official said the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) has so far made five Vande Bharat trains, adding that the production of these rakes is being stepped up as per traffic requirement. “However, the actual production depends on the supply chain which is developing rapidly,” the official said, requesting anonymity.
On the routes where the new trains will be launched, the official said that introduction of the new Vande Bharat Express is an ongoing process.
“It is subjected to operational feasibility, traffic justification, availability of rolling stock, competing demands and other factors,” the official added, explaining further that initial production takes much more time. “Now we will be going for bulk production. We are hopeful that this will help us in meeting the deadline.”
In her Budget Speech 2022-23, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced that 400 new-generation Vande Bharat trains will be developed and manufactured in the next three years. These will have better energy efficiency and passenger experience.
The Vande Bharat Express can run up to a maximum speed of 160 kmph and has travel classes like Shatabdi trains but with better facilities. It aims to provide a totally new travel experience to passengers.
Currently, Vande Bharat Express runs between New Delhi and Shri Vaishno Devi Mata, Katra; New Delhi and Varanasi; Gandhinagar Capital and Mumbai Central; Amb Andaura and New Delhi; and Mysuru and Chennai Central.
Cattle Accidents
The official added that the Zonal Railways is taking steps to prevent incidents of cattle being run over by the trains. “There have been incidents of cattle being run over, resulting in damages to nose cone of leading Driving Trailer Car (DTC),” the official said, adding that the nose cone of the Vande Bharat trains has been designed as a replaceable component to absorb energy resulting from inadvertent cases of cattle being run over, without affecting safety of the trains.
Discussing the preventive steps taken by the ministry, the official said they are cleaning garbage and removing wild vegetation along the track and also working to sensitise train crew on a regular basis for frequent whistling at locations prone to cattle being run over.
“Construction of fencing/boundary wall at identified locations of trespass by cattle/animal and approaches of major towns. Counselling of villagers for taking necessary steps to avoid cattle coming near track through safety seminar/propagandas in villages,” the official said, adding that steps have also been taken to avoid dumping of food waste along railway track to avoid unnecessary congregation of animals.
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