The first prototype of Vande Bharat Sleeper trainset has been manufactured and will undergo field trials. The timeline of rollout of train is subject to successful completion of the trials. Union Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology Shri  Ashwini  Vaishnaw,  in a statement is laid on the table of the House of Rajya Sabha, said that  presently,  Vande Bharat Sleeper Trains planned for long and medium distance journey are equipped with modern features and passenger amenities. Some of the distinguished features and amenities of these trains are as under:

1. Fitted with KAVACH.

2. EN-45545 HL3 fire safety standards compliant train.

3. Crashworthy and Jerk-Free Semi permanent couplers and Anti Climbers.

4. Crashworthy Design of Carbody complying with EN standards.

5. Regenerative braking system for energy efficiency.

6. Higher Average speed with quick deceleration and acceleration.

7. Emergency talk-back unit for communication between Passenger and Train Manager/Loco Pilot in case of emergency.

8. Accommodation and accessible toilets for Passengers with Restricted Mobility (PRM) in the driving coaches on each end.

9. Centrally controlled Automatic Plug Doors and Fully Sealed wider gangways.

10. Ergonomically designed ladder for ease of climbing on to upper berths.

11. Centralized Coach Monitoring System for better condition monitoring of passenger amenities such as Air conditioning, Saloon Lighting etc.

12. CCTV surveillance cameras in all coaches.

Talking about medium distance Vande Bharat train services, the Union Minister said that as on 02^nd December, 2024, 136 Vande Bharat train services with Chair Car Coaches are running across the Indian Railways network. Of these, 16 Vande Bharat Express services are catering to the needs of stations located in the States of Tamil Nadu. The longest distance Vande Bharat train services are running between Delhi and Banaras, covering a distance of 771 km. He further added that introduction of new train services, including Vande Bharat services and its variants, is an ongoing process on Indian Railways subject to traffic justification, operational feasibility, resource availability, etc.  

*****

Dharmendra Tewari/Shatrunjay Kumar

(Release ID: 2081569) Visitor Counter : 1404