Another significant milestone that Indian Railways is about to experience in its modernization process will be the introduction of the first Sleeper Vande Bharat Express in the country, which is going to run on the route between Patna and New Delhi. It will also be the first occasion that the Vande Bharat, which has hitherto operated in a premium daytime chair-car model, will be launched in a complete sleeper format to travel over long distances overnight.
The next sleeper Vande Bharat will be a faster, safer and more comfortable substitute to the current high-end trains like the Rajdhani Express. According to the officials of the railways, the train is in its last phase of preparation and will start its services very soon, provided that all the required tests and safety clearances are completed.
The sleeper version, unlike the existing Vande Bharat trains, will operate at night with AC sleeper coaches, probably, AC First Class, AC 2-Tier, and AC 3-Tier. The train will contain modern features in terms of better sleeping berths, better suspension systems, noise-cutting technology, automatic doors and passenger information mechanisms. The safety will also be enhanced by the addition of such systems as Kavach, an indigenous anti-collision technology of Indian Railways.
This historic service has been proposed in the Patna-New Delhi corridor because it has high traffic and is strategically positioned. A large number of thousands of people commute daily between Bihar and the national capital, to work, educate and seek medical services. Sleeper Vande Bharat is set to make the trip faster, more punctual and generally make the overall travelling experience in this high traffic route much better.
The railway officers are of the view that the new train will establish a standard of overnight travel by rail in India. The sleeper Vande Bharat with a design speed of up to 160 kmph has faster acceleration and less vibrations on rides than the conventional trains, although the operational speed is based on the track conditions.
In the case of Bihar, the project is being regarded as a significant enhancement since the state will be the centre of next-generation railway services in India. The Patna and surrounding customers will enjoy the advantage of improved connectivity and global onboard services.
The introduction of the sleeper Vande Bharat is in line with the greater vision of Indian Railways of launching more semi-high-speed, high-end trains in addition to improving the standard of passenger comfort and safety. In the event that the Patna-New Delhi service is successful, other long-distance routes in the country are likely to have similar sleeper trains like the Vande Bharat.
The official launch date, schedule and fare would be announced by the rail authorities in the next few days.
