Indian Railways will upgrade 40,000 conventional passenger coaches to 'Vande Bharat standards' in the coming years. The national transporter introduced the first Vande Bharat premium train in 2019. The Vande Bharat Express is a self-propelled semi-high-speed train that is increasingly seen as a sign of change in Indian Railways' passenger transport.
“Forty thousand regular railway bogies will be upgraded to Vande Bharat standards to enhance safety and comfort of passengers,” Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in her Union Budget 2024 speech on February 1.
What does the Vande Bharat standard mean?
Vande Bharat trains in their current form are all air-conditioned chair cars for short to medium distances. A sleeper version of the Vande Bharat, which is expected to be superior to the Rajdhani Express trains, is expected to be launched in March this year.
So what did FM Nirmala Sitharaman mean when she announced that 40,000 coaches of the Indian Railways would be upgraded to Vande Bharat standards?
Also read | How will Vande Bharat sleeper train be better than Rajdhani Express? Top passenger-friendly features you should know about
According to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the modernization of 40,000 coaches is based on the experience of Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat coaches. Learning from the experience of these trains, Indian Railways is working to upgrade these 40,000 coaches, he said.
Citing examples, Vaishnaw explained that both the Amrit Bharat and Vande Bharat trains have semi-permanent couplings which enhance the safety of these trains. Likewise, these 40,000 buses will have charging stations for mobile phones and laptops, automatic water metering system, GPS, CCTV cameras, etc.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has also clarified that this modernization does not mean converting non-air-conditioned coaches into air-conditioned coaches. For coaches without air conditioning, for example, the toilets are upgraded to better quality, the seats are made better, etc.
Also read | Will the Indian railway network finally get the indigenous technology to prevent train accidents?
From the Railway Minister's statements, it is clear that the national transporter will upgrade its existing conventional coaches to 'Vande Bharat standards' by adding more passenger comfort and safety features, based on the feedback and experience of passengers in the Vande Bharat -Express trains based. An example of this is also the recently introduced Amrit Bharat Express train, a push-pull train with locomotives at each end for faster acceleration and deceleration. Taking a cue from the Vande Bharat trains, the Amrit Bharat Express trains have been provided with numerous amenities and safety features for passengers – such as semi-permanent couplers, sealed aisles, better toilets, mobile charging stations, better cushioned seats, ambient lighting, etc.
“Forty thousand regular railway bogies will be upgraded to Vande Bharat standards to enhance safety and comfort of passengers,” Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in her Union Budget 2024 speech on February 1.
What does the Vande Bharat standard mean?
Vande Bharat trains in their current form are all air-conditioned chair cars for short to medium distances. A sleeper version of the Vande Bharat, which is expected to be superior to the Rajdhani Express trains, is expected to be launched in March this year.
So what did FM Nirmala Sitharaman mean when she announced that 40,000 coaches of the Indian Railways would be upgraded to Vande Bharat standards?
Also read | How will Vande Bharat sleeper train be better than Rajdhani Express? Top passenger-friendly features you should know about
According to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the modernization of 40,000 coaches is based on the experience of Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat coaches. Learning from the experience of these trains, Indian Railways is working to upgrade these 40,000 coaches, he said.
Citing examples, Vaishnaw explained that both the Amrit Bharat and Vande Bharat trains have semi-permanent couplings which enhance the safety of these trains. Likewise, these 40,000 buses will have charging stations for mobile phones and laptops, automatic water metering system, GPS, CCTV cameras, etc.
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Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has also clarified that this modernization does not mean converting non-air-conditioned coaches into air-conditioned coaches. For coaches without air conditioning, for example, the toilets are upgraded to better quality, the seats are made better, etc.
Also read | Will the Indian railway network finally get the indigenous technology to prevent train accidents?
From the Railway Minister's statements, it is clear that the national transporter will upgrade its existing conventional coaches to 'Vande Bharat standards' by adding more passenger comfort and safety features, based on the feedback and experience of passengers in the Vande Bharat -Express trains based. An example of this is also the recently introduced Amrit Bharat Express train, a push-pull train with locomotives at each end for faster acceleration and deceleration. Taking a cue from the Vande Bharat trains, the Amrit Bharat Express trains have been provided with numerous amenities and safety features for passengers – such as semi-permanent couplers, sealed aisles, better toilets, mobile charging stations, better cushioned seats, ambient lighting, etc.
