The first Vande Bharat sleeper train between Delhi and Kolkata is likely to be flagged off in the third week of January, according to reports. This comes as Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday shared a video of the trial run of the high-speed train between Kota and Nagada at 180 kmph.
Though the flag off of the debut sleeper train was initially planned for December, it was postponed to January. The train will benefit passengers from four states - Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal.
It's not yet clear where it will stop in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. However, it's believed that it could stop at major stations like Kanpur, Allahabad, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Junction, and Patna, according to reports.
The 16-coach Vande Bharat sleeper train boasts state-of-the-art passenger amenities, including comfortable sleeping berths, modern toilets, automatic doors, a fire detection system, and a digital passenger information system. The trains also have an advanced suspension system.
According to the Railway ministry, a comprehensive technical evaluations was carried out, including assessment of ride stability, oscillation, vibration behaviour, braking performance, emergency braking system, safety systems, and other critical parameters.
During this test, the train reached a maximum speed of 180 kilometers per hour. Vaishnaw also shared a video of the safety trial on X, showcasing a water-glass stability demonstration. This showed glasses filled with water remained steady without spillage even at high speed.
As of December, a total of 164 Vande Bharat train services are running across the Indian Railways network.
Earlier, there were reports that the first Vande Bharat sleeper trains would be launched between Patna and New Delhi. |
