NEW DELHI: Indian Railways is on the verge of a significant breakthrough as it is set to achieve a historical milestone — the 14-minute cleaning miracle for every Vande Bharat train, official sources said on Saturday.
The Vande Bharat trains, known for their indigenisation, are equipped with cutting-edge facilities for passengers to offer a swifter, comfortable and remarkably convenient travel experience.
According to the Ministry of Railways sources, these trains will be covered under the “14-minute miracle” scheme which is set to be launched on October 1 at terminal stations across Indian Railways as part of the ‘Swachhata-Hi-Seva’ campaign. The scheme will be formally launched at the Delhi Cantt Railway Station.
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will inaugurate this groundbreaking initiative at the Delhi Cantonment Railway Station on Sunday. Simultaneously, more than 32 Vande Bharat trains across the nation will adopt this swift cleaning mechanism, making it a daily affair.
Emulating the rapid cleaning procedures witnessed in Japan’s Bullet Trains, where they achieve a cleaning time of 7 minutes, this new endeavour by Indian Railways is poised to redefine the standards for train cleanliness. A process that once consumed 3-4 hours will now be executed within a mere 15 minutes, top sources of Ministry of Railways said.
The sources said that each coach of the Vande Bharat train will be cleaned by a dedicated team of four cleaning staff. Extensive training programmes, spanning over a month, have equipped these staff members for the meticulously planned manual cleaning process. Multiple mock drills have further fine-tuned their skills, ensuring a seamless execution of the rapid cleaning operation.
It is notable that in January this year, Railways Minister Vaishnaw had hinted at a transformation in the cleaning process of India’s premium trains. Now, with this initiative, the Railways plans to extend the same efficient cleaning mechanism to all trains once proven effective and fully functional.
It is pertinent to note that in light of the millions of passengers who travel daily, the initiative aims to elevate their travel experience to a world-class standard, where cleanliness plays a pivotal role.
The Vande Bharat trains, known for their semi-high-speed service, initially commenced operations in February 2019 from Delhi to Varanasi. Presently, 68 Vande Bharat train services are operational throughout the country. This new leap in efficiency is expected to redefine passenger expectations and enhance the overall railway travel experience. (ANI)