Ashwini Vaishnaw inspects first Vande Bharat sleeper train, says it will be inaugurated soon by PM Modi

NEW DELHI: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday inspected the first Vande Bharat sleeper train in the national capital, which will run from Guwahati to Kolkata. The minister stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Vande Bharat sleeper train after the CRS inspection and subsequent certification.

Vaishnaw said, “Vande Bharat is ready for inauguration after the CRS inspection and subsequent certification. Two rakes are being shifted to Guwahati and Kolkata. Very soon, in the coming days, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji will inaugurate this Vande Bharat sleeper train”.

Explaining the features of the train, the minister stated, “If you look at the stairs, they are ergonomically designed for climbing. You will see many features; there are different features for holding the tray, and the shades are designed in such a way that you can easily control the amount of light and sunlight you want. Braille has been used everywhere. Even the seat numbers have Braille. Many things have been kept in mind to ensure a comfortable journey for the passengers. A lot of attention has been paid to the details”.

#WATCH | Delhi: Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw says, “Vande Bharat is ready for inauguration after the CRS inspection and subsequent certification. Two rakes are being shifted to Guwahati and Kolkata. Very soon, in the coming days, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji will… https://t.co/OOaTyagZh1 pic.twitter.com/2TkvWiMheI

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Following inspections, while speaking to reporters, Vaishnaw said that Prime Minister Modi has resolved to transform the railways completely, and Vande Bharat sleeper trains for overnight journeys are new efforts in this direction.

He conveyed that Vande Bharat sleeper trains are fitted with the KAVACH system, which is an Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system designed to prevent accidents by monitoring speeds, enforcing signals, and automatically applying brakes to stop collisions, overspeeding, and Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD).

Ashwini Vaishnaw stated, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji has a resolve, a vision, to transform the railways completely, and the Vande Sleeper train for overnight journeys is a new effort in that direction. The design of this train is completely new…Every aspect has been designed with passenger comfort and safety in mind. CCTV cameras are pre-fitted, and the Kavach system is also installed. The braking system has been programmed in a completely new way. For passenger comfort, the seats have been designed in a new way.”

The Minister further conveyed that the fare of this train has been kept reasonable. He said, “Prime Minister has always inspired us to make the railways a mode of transport for the middle class and low-income families. Keeping this in mind, the fare has also been kept very reasonable. The Prime Minister will inaugurate it very soon, which will run between Guwahati and Kolkata. The train will depart from both sides in the evening and reach its destination the following morning”.

On December 31, Indian Railways successfully completed the final high-speed trial of the indigenously designed and manufactured Vande Bharat Sleeper Train under the supervision of the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS). The trial was conducted on the Kota-Nagda section, during which the train achieved a maximum speed of 180 kmph, marking a significant milestone in India’s journey towards advanced and self-reliant rail technology.

During the trial, comprehensive technical evaluations were carried out, including assessment of ride stability, oscillation, vibration behaviour, braking performance, emergency braking system, safety systems, and other critical parameters. The train’s performance at high speed was found to be fully satisfactory, and the trial was declared successful by the CRS. (ANI)