10 Vande Bharat Sleeper Trains in Production; Indian Railways Advances Accessibility and Modernization
New Delhi, 18th December 2024: Indian Railways is advancing its infrastructure and passenger services with the production of 10 Vande Bharat Sleeper trains designed for long- and medium-distance travel. The first prototype of the sleeper train has been manufactured and is slated for field trials. Additionally, contracts have been awarded to technology partners for the production of 200 more Vande Bharat Sleeper rakes. However, the rollout timeline will depend on the successful completion of trials.
Currently, 136 Vande Bharat train services operate on the Broad Gauge electrified network of Indian Railways, serving short- and medium-distance routes. According to Union Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, “These 136 services with Chair Cars offer a world-class travel experience, and up to October 2024, the overall occupancy of these trains has consistently exceeded 100%.”
Indian Railways has focused on upgrading its coach manufacturing capabilities. Since April 2018, production units have exclusively produced LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) coaches, which offer advanced safety features such as anti-climbing arrangements, air suspension with failure indication systems, and corrosion-resistant shells.
Vaishnaw highlighted the scale of progress, stating, “Between 2014 and 2024, Indian Railways manufactured 36,933 LHB coaches, a sixteen fold increase compared to the 2,337 coaches produced from 2004 to 2014.”
As part of the “Sugamya Bharat Mission” (Accessible India Campaign), Indian Railways is taking significant steps to enhance accessibility for Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) and passengers with reduced mobility. The initiative aligns with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, and includes features such as ramps, accessible parking, low-height ticket counters, Braille and tactile signage, and lifts or escalators at stations.
Till November 2024, Indian Railways had installed 1,512 escalators across 399 stations and 1,607 lifts at 609 stations. This marks a dramatic increase in infrastructure compared to the previous decade, with escalator installations increasing ninefold and lift installations increasing fourteenfold. “Our focus is on ensuring that every station and train is accessible to all passengers, especially Divyangjan,” Vaishnaw stated.
Further, Indian Railways has introduced specially designed coaches with wide entrances, wheelchair-accessible washrooms, and dedicated parking spaces for wheelchairs on most Mail/Express trains. Vande Bharat trains have been equipped with enhanced accessibility features such as automatic doors, Braille signage, and reserved spaces for Divyangjan.
