Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has said that two Vande Bharat Sleeper trains will be launched soon. Briefing the media in New Delhi yesterday, Mr Vaishnaw said, the first train has cleared all the tests and trial runs and the second train is likely to be completed by the middle of next month. He said, the two trains have to be launched together to ensure regular services on an overnight journey. 

 

Manufactured by BEML using Integral Coach Factory (ICF) technology, the Vande Bharat Sleeper train will comprise 16 coaches, segmented into AC First Class, AC 2-Tier, and AC 3-Tier. It will be able to carry 1,128 passengers and operate at a top speed of 180 kmph, making it one of the fastest overnight train services in the country.

 

The Railway Minister also announced twelve thousand special trains to be operated during Diwali and Chhath festivals from 1st October till 15th November. The Minister also said that ten thousand trains have been notified and 150 fully unreserved trains will be kept ready for rapid

 

Mr Vaishnaw and Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu also briefed journalists on the railway projects in Punjab. The minister said the upcoming 18-kilometre Rajpura-Mohali line will connect the area to Chandigarh via the shortest route on the Ambala-Amritsar main