August 3, 2023: A budget friendly version of Vande Bharat Express sounds good right? Will it compromise on quality? Keep reading to learn more!
Indian Railways plans to introduce a new version of Vande Bharat trains called 'Vande Sadharan,' aimed at being more affordable for the common man.
The current Vande Bharat trains faced criticism for high fares, which were seen as catering to the elite. With Vande Sadharan, standard fares will be implemented to make them budget-friendly for the general public.
"Sadharan" in Hindi language means "common/ simple"
Vande Bharat trains?
The Vande Bharat Express is a short-distance train service run by Indian Railways, connecting major cities within a day's travel. Similar to Shatabdi Express, it operates at semi-high speeds, but due to track limitations, the speed is limited to 160 km/h (99 mph) on certain routes and 110-130 km/h (68-81 mph) on others. The trains were designed for cost-effective maintenance and operational efficiency. A 16-coach Vande Bharat train costs around ₹115 crore.
The upcoming Vande Sadharan trains are expected to offer similar facilities to the existing Vande Bharat Express except that it will be not be air - conditioned. According to reports, they will have upgraded second-class unreserved and second-class 3-tier sleeper coaches. Unlike other trains in India, Vande Sadharan will have locomotives on both ends, enabling faster acceleration and reduced turn-around time.
General seating is the unreserved class. When you book a general ticket, you don't get a specific seat number. Instead, you can sit anywhere in the general coaches with your ticket. It's a first-come, first-served basis for seating.
Locomotives- a powered railway vehicle used for pulling trains. It is the main engine car at the front.
These Non Air - Conditioned Vande Sadharan will be manufactured at Integral Coach Factory(ICF) Chennai with an estimated cost of Rs 65 crore.
The first set of trains is projected to be ready in the next 6-7 months.
Integral Coach Factory is a manufacturer of rail coaches located in Perambur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.