Railways Plan 260 Vande Bharat Sleeper Rakes; Trials and Production in Progress
New Delhi, 05th February 2026: Indian Railways has planned the manufacture of 260 rakes of Vande Bharat Sleeper trainsets, with development and production being carried out in a phased manner involving prototype creation, extensive testing, trials and series production, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.
The Vande Bharat Sleeper Train manufacturing programme is being executed by BEML and the Integral Coach Factory, Chennai, along with technology partners. The process includes development of prototypes, followed by detailed trials before moving to large-scale production. Induction of these sleeper trainsets into regular passenger service will be undertaken gradually, based on demand and operational readiness.
According to the information provided to the House, the new rolling stock is being developed through a holistic approach integrating technological innovation, strategic planning and manufacturing, with the objective of ensuring safe, reliable and comfortable long-distance travel.
The sleeper trainsets are equipped with modern coaches featuring multiple safety systems and passenger amenities. These include semi-permanent couplers with anti-climbers for jerk-free movement, KAVACH train protection system, and crashworthy car body design compliant with EN standards. The trains are designed for higher acceleration with a design speed of 180 kmph and an operating speed of 160 kmph.
Fire safety measures include fire barrier doors at the end of each coach and aerosol-based fire detection and suppression systems in electrical cabinets and lavatories. The trainsets also feature regenerative braking systems to improve energy efficiency.
Passenger comfort and hygiene measures include air-conditioning units fitted with indigenously developed UV-C lamp-based disinfection systems to deactivate harmful bacteria from conditioned air. Other amenities include centrally controlled automatic plug doors, fully sealed wider gangways, CCTV cameras in all coaches and emergency talk-back units for communication between passengers and train managers or loco pilots.
Facilities for Divyangjan passengers include special lavatories in the driving coaches at both ends of the trainsets. The trains are also equipped with a centralized coach monitoring system for real-time monitoring of passenger amenities such as air-conditioning and saloon lighting. Ergonomically designed ladders have been provided for easier access to upper berths.
The information was shared by the Minister for Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and Information Technology in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.
