A tiny variant of the Vande Bharat Express train, the Vande Bharat Metro, will soon be introduced in the nation. Following the announcement of the Union Budget on February 1, 2023, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw presented the Vande Metro networks plan, which remained the subject of his address.
Indian Railways has recently created the Vande Metro, which is considered a smaller version of the semi-high-speed Vande Bharat Express, in response to the remarkable achievements of the Vande Bharat trains. Furthermore, the production of the Vande Metro is expected to rise in the upcoming fiscal year 2024-2025. So, what sets the Vande Metro apart from the Vande Bharat Express trains?
Compared to the Vande Bharat Express train’s 16 coaches, the Vande Metro train will be smaller, with only eight coaches. In order for students, businesspeople, and those employed in the service sector to commute to and from their places of employment comfortably and easily, it will assist in connecting smaller routes in major cities.
Apparently, the general managers of the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai and the Research Design and Standard Organization in Lucknow have been given instructions to launch the 8-coach Vande Metro rakes as soon as feasible. There will be a high frequency of Vande Metro trains. According to Vaishnaw, the Indian Railways’ goal is to run these trains between cities that are not more than 100 kilometers apart.
In addition, the minister added, Vande Bharat trains will also be produced in Sonipat, Haryana, Latur, Maharashtra, and Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh, in addition to ICF Chennai. By the end of the following fiscal year, according to Vaishnaw, Railways should be able to introduce two to three additional Vande Bharat trains per week.
The capital expenditure for the Indian Railways this year was boosted to ₹2.40 lakh crore, the highest amount ever. While the majority of the funds will go towards track renewal, gauge conversion, and other related expenses, a sizeable portion will also be utilized to expand the number of Vande Bharat Express trains.
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