Unveiling of Vande Bharat Sleeper Variant Body Structure by Railway Minister

On March 9, 2024, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw examines a Vande Bharat sleeper coach being built at BEML in Bengaluru. This event was arranged and organized for this purpose.

On March 9, at a BEML facility in Bengaluru, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed the structure of Vande Bharat’s sleeper coaches.

BEML is a part of the Ministry of Defence and produces a variety of goods for different industries including defense, aviation, mining, building, railway, and metro. It has also received a request to manufacture 10 sets of Vande Bharat Sleeper, each consisting of 160 coaches.

According to Mr. Vaishnaw, the Vande Bharat train is available in three versions: chair car, sleeper, and metro. While the chair car option has already been introduced and has gained popularity, the Vande sleeper’s first carbody is now completed.

According to Mr. Vaishnaw, the furnishing process will now begin. The manufacturing of the carbody is considered the most challenging task. Today, we will explore methods to increase its scale, as stated by Mr. Vaishnaw in his conversation with the media.

According to him, the initial trainset will undergo a trial period of five to six months before it can be officially launched. The sleeper train, being built on the same technology as the chair car, will also provide comparable advantages such as smooth rides, minimal noise, and efficient acceleration and deceleration.

According to the Railway Minister, there is a strong focus on enhancing the comfort of passengers on sleeper trains. Improvements have been made to the foot area of the train’s ladder to facilitate easy entry for passengers. The toilets now feature new designs and the air-conditioning system has been upgraded for better control. The seat cushion has also been improved using advanced technology. Furthermore, the oxygen level will be closely monitored and measures have been taken to eliminate 99.99% of viruses.

As per his statement, the modern train has enhanced safety measures in comparison to the current mail/express trains. Mr. Vaishnaw stated that in developed nations, the production cost of a single coach with similar facilities amounts to ₹10 crore. However, the Vande Bharat Sleeper Coach costs around ₹8-9 crore due to significant in-house efforts and utilization of our own workforce and technology.

Shri Shantanu Roy, the CMD of BEML, expressed his joy in being involved in the creation of this milestone which aims to enhance convenience and provide top-notch amenities, all while reducing travel time. BEML’s production is currently functioning at its maximum capacity, with the entire manufacturing and assembly process being carried out in-house, which showcases their dedication to maintaining high standards and accuracy through a team of skilled engineers and staff members.

BEML announced in a press statement that the sleeper trains have raised the standard for passenger comfort and convenience. These trains provide top-notch facilities and superior interiors. The statement also mentioned that this is a significant achievement for India as it begins to introduce sleeper options under the renowned Vande Bharat platform.

According to BEML officials, an order for the production, design, and implementation of 10 rakes (each with 16 cars) of the Vande Bharat sleeper version was placed by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai in May 2023.

According to the press statement, the trains will be modified to smoothly switch from chair car models to sleeper versions in order to meet the standards for crashworthiness and fire safety.