TELANGANA: Vande Bharat sleeper trains to be made at Kazipet coach factory
HYDERABAD: The Railway Board is considering plans to manufacture Vande Bharat sleeper coaches at the upcoming Kazipet coach factory in Telangana. Production is expected to begin by March next year, officials said.
Initially, the Board had planned to produce general coaches, Electric Multiple Units (EMUs) for suburban services, and standard Vande Bharat coaches at the Kazipet unit. However, with growing demand for sleeper variants across the country, the factory has now been earmarked for this purpose.
Although construction of the factory is nearly complete, no production orders have been issued so far. Sources said the delay was deliberate, as the Board wanted to finalise sleeper coach production first.
Demand rising for Vande Bharat sleeper trains
Currently, 76 Vande Bharat trains operate on 19 routes nationwide. Of these, only 33 have 16 or 20 coaches, while the rest are mini services with eight coaches. Initially, these semi-high-speed trains saw strong demand, but interest has since dipped due to high ticket prices and daytime-only operations.
To meet long-distance travel needs, the Centre has decided to roll out sleeper versions. A prototype has completed trials, and another is in preparation. These trains, designed for a top speed of 180 kmph, will primarily run overnight.
Officials say many states are now seeking sleeper services instead of regular day trains, as daytime travel between distant cities is less preferred.
200 sleeper trains planned across India
The Centre plans to introduce 200 Vande Bharat sleeper trains nationwide in the coming years, gradually replacing premium services like Rajdhani and Duronto.
To achieve this, multiple factories are being engaged. The first prototype was built at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai, which will continue production. Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, in a joint venture with Russia’s Kinet Railway Solutions, will manufacture 120 trains at the Marathwada Coach Factory in Latur.
Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) in Bengaluru is readying the second prototype and will begin production soon. The Titagarh Rail Systems factory near Kolkata and the Modern Coach Factory in Uttar Pradesh will also participate.
Given the high demand, the Railway Ministry has now decided to include the new Kazipet coach factory in the production plan. Senior officials recently inspected the site, which is expected to be fully operational by year-end.
