Ashwini Vaishnaw inspects new Vande Bharat train at Integral Coach Factory in Chennai
Aug 13, 2022
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], August 13 : Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday inspected the new Vande Bharat train at Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai.
The inspection comes ahead of the probable launch of two more Vande Bharat semi-high speed trains that are expected to come up by August this year besides the two which are already operational in the country, said sources.
The trains, being manufactured by Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, are in the final stages.
Sources said that the routes of these two newly manufactured Vande Bharat trains are yet to be decided, which would be done after getting NOC (No Objection Certificate) from different departments.
It is notable that this is a part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement on Independence Day last year that 75 new Vande Bharat trains would come upon the occasion of the completion of the country's 75 years of independence, connecting 75 big towns across the country.
The Railway Ministry prepared a plan for the accomplishment of the target and handed over the responsibility to Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai. Interestingly, the upcoming Vande Bharat trains are being promised to be more advanced than the two already operational.
According to sources, the new trains will have automatic fire sensors, CCTV cameras and GPS systems to make travelling safer and more comfortable. The higher speed of these trains are up to 180 Km/hour. ICF has set a target of manufacturing 75 Vande Bharat trains by August 2023.
Travelling in the new trains would be more comfortable because of the lighter coaches than the previous trains. The coaches are made of stainless steel. Due to less weight, the passengers would feel extra comfortable even at high speed. Also, there are automatic gates operated by the pilot.
The windows are wide, there is more space for the luggage. The toilet installed will be advanced. Most of the parts of the trains are "Made in India" except for a few small parts, said sources.
For the safety of the passengers, 'Kavach' technology is being installed in all new trains, so that automatic breaks could be applied in case any train is coming on the same track.
