Lok Sabha Question No. 64 (STARRED), answered on 2026-02-04
Subject: Manufacturing of Vande Bharat Sleeper Rakes
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Yaduveer Wadiyar, Shri Chandan Chauhan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 64 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.02.2026

## MANUFACTURING OF VANDE BHARAT SLEEPER RAKES

## †*64. SHRI CHANDAN CHAUHAN: SHRI YADUVEER WADIYAR:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of train rakes being manufactured by Indian Railway in the country;
- (b) the status of the number of train rakes proposed for manufacturing/under manufacturing for Vande Bharat Sleeper trains in the country particularly in Jharkhand;
- (c) the details of the proposed timeline for completion of manufacturing of these train rakes along with their induction into the regular passenger service;
- (d)  the  comparative  features  of  Vande  Bharat  sleeper  trains  vis-a  vis conventional  overnight  trains  in  terms  of  speed,  onboard  amenities, safety  features  and  passenger  comfort  with  reference  to  design  and performance specifications;
- (e)  the  proposed  manufacturing  and  network  expansion  plan  for  Vande Bharat sleeper rakes;
- (f)  whether  the  Government  proposes to introduce direct train service of Vande Bharat sleeper trains from Delhi to Kachchh and from Darbhanga to Delhi via Sitamarhi, Ayodhya Dham and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (g)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  introduce  services  of  Vande Bharat sleeper trains on major routes in Madhya Pradesh (particularly on  the  train  routes  connected  with  Itarasi-Nagpur  and  Chhindwara), North Eastern India, Bhopal-Patna, Bhopal-Ayodhya, Darbhanga to Delhi via Sitamarhi, Ayodhya Dham route and in Andhra Pradesh and Palghar district of Maharashtra route in near future and if so, the details thereof including proposed route;

- (h) whether the Government proposes to provide better connectivity in the network expansion including Palghar district in Maharashtra and if so, the details thereof; and
- (i) the number of rail rakes and traction equipment manufactured in BHEL, Bengaluru and Projected numbers in the next two years?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND

## ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a) to (i): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

*****

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (i)  OF  STARRED QUESTION NO.64 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.02.2026 IN LOK SABHA

(a) to (i) Indian Railway Production Units are manufacturing a wide range of passenger  rolling  stock  including  trainsets  like  Vande  Bharat,  Namo Bharat, Rapid and Regional Metro rakes, Kolkata Metro Rakes, Amrit Bharat and mainline LHB coaches.

For long distance travel, the sleeper variant of Vande Bharat Express has been indigenously designed and developed. Two such trains have already been manufactured. After extensive trials these are presently operational between Howrah and Kamakhya.

The  process  of  development  of  new  rolling  stocks  like  Vande  Sleeper necessitates  a  holistic  approach,  combining  technological  innovation, strategic  planning  and  manufacturing  to  ensure  a  safe,  reliable  and comfortable  travel.  This  involves  development  of  prototype,  extensive testing and trials followed by series production.

Vande Bharat Sleeper Train manufacturing programme is being executed in a phased manner through prototype development, trials and series production  by  BEML  &  Integral  Coach  Factory,  Chennai  and  technology partners.

Induction of these trainsets into regular passenger  service will be undertaken  in a phased  manner  based  on  demand  and  operational readiness.  A  total  of  260  rakes  of  Vande  Bharat  Sleeper  trainsets  have been planned for manufacture.

To improve travel experience of the passengers and set new benchmarks in terms of safe and comfortable journey, these train sets have been provided ..P/4

with modern coaches having advanced safety features and passenger amenities like:

- Jerk-Free Semi permanent couplers and Anti Climbers
- Fitted with KAVACH.
- Higher acceleration with design/operating speed of 180/160 KMPH.
- Crashworthy Design of Car body complying with EN standards.
- Fire barrier doors at the end of each coach for compliance of fire safety standards.
- Improved fire safety - Aerosol based fire detection and suppression system in electrical cabinets and lavatories.
- •
- Regenerative braking system for energy efficiency.
- Air  conditioning  units  provided  with  indigenously  developed  UV-C lamp-based  disinfection  system  for  deactivating  99  %  harmful bacteria  from  conditioned  air  to  improve  the  hygiene  standards inside the passenger area.
- Centrally controlled Automatic Plug Doors and Fully Sealed wider gangways.
- CCTVs in all coaches.
- Emergency  talk-back  unit  for  communication  between  Passenger and Train Manager/Loco Pilot in case of emergency.
- For Divyangjan passengers, special lavatory in the driving coaches on each end.
- Centralized Coach Monitoring System for better condition monitoring of passenger amenities such as Air conditioning, Saloon Lighting etc.
- Ergonomically  designed  ladder  for  ease  of  climbing  on  to  upper berths.

Introduction of new train services, including Vande Bharat Sleeper, on any route/section depends on various factors which include:

- Capacity of that section
- Availability of path
- Availability of required rolling stock
- Availability of matching infrastructure for rolling stock
- Maintenance requirement of railway tracks and other assets

Presently, Delhi-Bhuj sector is served by the following 03 pairs of train services.

|   Delhi-Bhuj sector: | Delhi-Bhuj sector:                           |
|----------------------|----------------------------------------------|
|                    1 | 14311/14312 Bareilly-Bhuj Ala Hazrat Express |
|                    2 | 14321/14322 Bareilly - Bhuj Express          |
|                    3 | 20984/20985 Delhi Sarai Rohilla-Bhuj Express |

Further,  on  end-to-end  basis,  Delhi-Darbhanga  sector  is  served  by  04 Pairs  of  regular  services  while  Darbhanga  -  Ayodhya  Dham  sector  is served by 04 pairs of trains including 02 pairs of trains via Sitamarhi as under:

|   Darbhanga-Delhi sector: | Darbhanga-Delhi sector:                                                   |
|---------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|                         1 | 12565/12566 Darbhanga-New Delhi Bihar Sampark Kranti Express              |
|                         2 | 12561/12562 Jaynagar-New Delhi SwatantrataSenani Express                  |
|                         3 | 12435/12436 Jaynagar-Anand Vihar Garib Rath Express                       |
|                         4 | 15557/15558 Anand Vihar (T)-Darbhanga Amrit Bharat Express (via Sitmarhi) |

|   Darbhanga-Ayodhya dham sector: | Darbhanga-Ayodhya dham sector:                                           |
|----------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|                                1 | 15561/15562 Darbhanga-Gomtinagar Amrit Bharat Express (via Sitmarhi)     |
|                                2 | 15557/15558 Darbhnaga-Anand Vihar(T) Amrit Bharat Express (via Sitmarhi) |
|                                3 | 14649/14650 Jaynagar-Amritsar Saryu Yamuna Express                       |
|                                4 | 19165/19166 Darbhanga-Ahmedabad Sabarmati Express                        |

Similarly,  Itarsi-Nagpur,  Bhopal-Patna  &  Bhopal-Ayodhya  sectors  are served by 57 pairs, 05 pairs & 04 pairs of train services respectively. Lists of above mentioned sectors are as below:

|   Itarsi-Nagpur sector: | Itarsi-Nagpur sector:                                             |
|-------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|                       1 | 11045/11046 Dhanbad-Kolhapur Dikshabhumi Express                  |
|                       2 | 12159/12160 Jabalpur-Amravati Express                             |
|                       3 | 12193/1219 Jabalpur-Yesvantpur Express                            |
|                       4 | 12295/12296 Danapur-SMVT Bengaluru Sanghamitra Express            |
|                       5 | 12405/12406 H. Nizamuddin-Bhusaval Express                        |
|                       6 | 12409/12410 H. Nizamuddin-Raigarh Gondwana Express                |
|                       7 | 12511/12512 Gorakhpur-Thiruvananthapuram North RaptiSagar Express |
|                       8 | 12521/12522 Barauni-Ernakulam Raptisagar Express                  |
|                       9 | 12539/12540 Lucknow-Yesvantpur Express                            |
|                      10 | 12577/12578 Darbhanga-Mysuru Bagmati Express                      |
|                      11 | 12589/12590 Gorakhpur-Charlapalli Express                         |
|                      12 | 12591/12592 Gorakhpur-Yesvantpur Express                          |
|                      13 | 12615/12616 New Delhi-MGR Chennai Central Grand Trunk Express     |

|   14 | 12621/12622 New Delhi-MGR Chennai Central Tamil Nadu Express                |
|------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|   15 | 12625/12626 New Delhi-Thiruvananthapuram Central Kerala Express             |
|   16 | 12641/12642 H. Nizamuddin-Kanyakumari Thirukkural Express                   |
|   17 | 12643/12644 H. Nizamuddin-Thiruvananthapuram Central Swarna Jayanti Express |
|   18 | 12645/12646 H Nizamuddin-Ernakulam Millennium Express                       |
|   19 | 12647/12648 H Nizamuddin-Coimbatore Kongu Express                           |
|   20 | 12669/12670 Chhapra-MGR Chennai Central Ganga Kaveri Express                |
|   21 | 12721/12722 H Nizamuddin-Hyderabad Deccan Dakshin Express                   |
|   22 | 12791/12792 Danapur-Secunderabad Express                                    |
|   23 | 12803/12804 H Nizamuddin-Visakhapatnam Swarna Jayanti Express               |
|   24 | 12807/12808 H Nizamuddin-Visakhapatnam Samta Express                        |
|   25 | 12923/12924 Dr. Ambedkar Nagar (Mhow)-Nagpur Express                        |
|   26 | 12967/12968 Jaipur-MGR Chennai Central Express                              |
|   27 | 12969/12970 Jaipur-Coimbatore Express                                       |
|   28 | 12975/12976 Jaipur-Mysuru Express                                           |
|   29 | 15023/15024 Gorakhpur-Yesvantpur Express                                    |
|   30 | 15293/15294 Muzaffarpur-Charlapalli Amrit Bharat Express                    |
|   31 | 16031/16032 SMVD Katra-MGR Chennai Central Andaman Express                  |
|   32 | 16093/16094 Lucknow Junction-MGR Chennai Central Express                    |
|   33 | 16317/16318 SMVD Katra-Kanyakumari Himsagar Express                         |
|   34 | 16601/16602 Erode-Jogbani Amrit Bharat Express                              |

|   35 | 16787/16788 SMVD Katra-Tirunelveli Navyug Express                            |
|------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|   36 | 17609/17610 Patna-Purna Express                                              |
|   37 | 18237/18238 Amritsar-Korba Chhattisgarh Express                              |
|   38 | 20481/20482 Bhagat Ki Kothi-Tiruchchirappalli Humsafar Express               |
|   39 | 20497/20498 Firozpur Cantt-Rameswaram Humsafar Express                       |
|   40 | 20813/20814 Jodhpur-Puri Express                                             |
|   41 | 20843/20844 Bhagat Ki Kothi-Bilaspur Express                                 |
|   42 | 20845/20846 Bikaner -Bilaspur Express                                        |
|   43 | 20911/20912 Indore Nagpur Vande Bharat Express                               |
|   44 | 20917/20918 Indore -Puri Humsafar Express                                    |
|   45 | 22175/22176 Jaipur-Nagpur Express 22351/22352 Saharsa-SMVT Bengaluru Express |
|   46 | 22353/22354 Patna -SMVT Bengaluru Humsafar Express                           |
|   47 |                                                                              |
|   49 | 22533/22534 Gorakhpur-Yesvantpur Express                                     |
|   50 | 22535/22536 Varanasi-Rameswaram Express                                      |
|   52 | Express 22631/22632 Bikaner-Madurai Anuvrat Express                          |
|   54 | Express 22669/22670 Patna-Ernakulam Express                                  |
|   55 | 22673/22674 Bhagat Ki Koth-Mannargudi Express                                |
|   56 | 22683/22684 Lucknow-Yesvantpur Express                                       |
|   57 | 22691/22692 H Nizamuddin-KSR Bengaluru Rajdhani Express                      |

|   Bhopal-Patna sector: | Bhopal-Patna sector:                  |
|------------------------|---------------------------------------|
|                      1 | 19421/19422 Ahmedabad-Patna Express   |
|                      2 | 19483/19484 Ahmedabad-Saharsa Express |
|                      3 | 19435/19436 Ahmedabad-Asansol Express |
|                      4 | 19321/19322 Indore-Patna Express      |
|                      5 | 19313/19314 Indore-Patna Express      |

|   Bhopal-Ayodhya sector: | Bhopal-Ayodhya sector:                                   |
|--------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
|                        1 | 15023/15024 Yesvantpur--Gorakhpur Express                |
|                        2 | 22583/22584 Lokmanya Tilak (T)--ChhapraAntyodaya Express |
|                        3 | 19321/19322 Indore-Patna Express                         |
|                        4 | 22129/22130 Lokmanya Tilak (T)-Prayagraj Tulsi Express   |

Further,  Chhindwara  and  Palghar  station  are  served  by  11  pairs  &  52 pairs of train services respectively as listed below

|   Trains serving Chhindwara: | Trains serving Chhindwara:                      |
|------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
|                            1 | 11201/11202 Nagpur-Shahdol Express              |
|                            2 | 11755/11756 NSCB Itwari-Rewa Express            |
|                            3 | 19343/19344 Indore -Nainpur Panchvalley Express |
|                            4 | 20423/20424 Seoni-Nainpur Patalkot Express      |
|                            5 | 58819/ 58820 NSCB Itwari-Chhindwara Passenger   |
|                            6 | 58821/58822 NSCB Itwari-Chhindwara Passenger    |
|                            7 | 58823/58824 Chhindwara-Nainpur Passenger        |
|                            8 | 58825/58826 Chhindwara-Nainpur Passenger        |
|                            9 | 58829/58830 Seoni-Betul Passenger               |
|                           10 | 61123/61124 Amla-Chhindwara MEMU                |
|                           11 | 61125/61126 Amla-Chhindwara MEMU                |

|   Trains serving Palghar: | Trains serving Palghar:                                                                   |
|---------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|                         1 | 12471/12472 Bandra (T) - SMVD Katra Swaraj Express                                        |
|                         2 | 12489/12490 Sri Ganganagar - Dadar Express                                                |
|                         3 | 12901 Dadar - Ahmedabad Gujarat Mail Express                                              |
|                         4 | 12921/12922 Mumbai Central - Surat Flying Rani Express                                    |
|                         5 | 12979/12980 Bandra (T) - Jaipur Express                                                   |
|                         6 | 12995/12996 Bandra (T) - Ajmer Express                                                    |
|                         7 | 14707/14708 Hanumangarh - Dadar Ranakpur Express                                          |
|                         8 | 16209/16210 Ajmer - Mysuru Express                                                        |
|                         9 | 19001/19002 Virar - Surat Express                                                         |
|                        10 | 19003/19004 Dadar - Bhusaval Khandesh Express                                             |
|                        11 | 19015/19016 Dadar - Porbandar Saurashtra Express                                          |
|                        12 | 19019/19020 Bandra(T) - Haridwar Dehradun Express                                         |
|                        13 | 19101/19102 Virar - Bharuch/Surat Express                                                 |
|                        14 | 19217/19218 Bandra (T) - Veraval Saurashtra Janta Express                                 |
|                        15 | 19417/19418 Borivali - Vatva/Ahmedabad Express                                            |
|                        16 | 19425/19426 Borivali - Nandurbar Express                                                  |
|                        17 | 20483/20484 Bhagat Ki Kothi - Dadar Express                                               |
|                        18 | 20909/20910 Thiruvananthapuram North (Kochuveli) - Porbandar Express                      |
|                        19 | 22659/22660 Thiruvananthapuram North (Kochuveli) - Yog Nagari Rishikesh Superfast Express |
|                        20 | 22919/22920 MGR Chennai Central - Ahmedabad Humsafar Express                              |
|                        21 | 22927/22928 Bandra (T) - Ahmedabad Lok Shakti Express                                     |
|                        22 | 22945/22946 Mumbai Central - Okha Saurashtra Mail                                         |
|                        23 | 22954 Ahmedabad - Mumbai Central Gujarat Express                                          |

| 24   | 22955/22956 Bandra (T) - Bhuj Kutch Express                          |
|------|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 25   | 59023/59024 Mumbai Central - Valsad Passenger                        |
| 26   | 59039/59040 Virar - Valsad Passenger/Vapi - Mumbai Central Passenger |
| 27   | 59045/59046 Mumbai Central - Vapi/Valsad - Virar Passenger           |
| 28   | 61001/61002 Boisar - Vasai Road -Dombivali MEMU                      |
| 29   | 69139/69140 Borivali - Valsad/Surat - Virar MEMU                     |
| 30   | 69141/69142 Virar - Surat MEMU                                       |
| 31   | 69161/69164 Panvel - Dahanu Road MEMU                                |
| 32   | 69173 Virar - Dahanu Road MEMU                                       |
| 33   | 69174 Dahanu Road - Borivali MEMU                                    |
| 34   | 93001 Virar - Dahanu Road Suburban                                   |
| 35   | 93002 Dahanu Road - Churchgate Suburban                              |
| 36   | 93003 Virar - Dahanu Road Suburban                                   |
| 37   | 93004 Dahanu Road -Churchgate Suburban                               |
| 38   | 93005 Churchgate - Dahanu Road Suburban                              |
| 39   | 93006 Dahanu Road - Virar Suburban                                   |
| 40   | 93007/93008 Churchgate - Dahanu Road Suburban                        |
| 41   | 93009 Churchgate - Dahanu Road Suburban                              |
| 42   | 93010 Dahanu Road - Borivali Suburban                                |
| 43   | 93011 Churchgate - Dahanu Road Suburban                              |
| 44   | 93012 Dahanu Road - Virar Suburban                                   |
| 45   | 93013/93014 Virar - Dahanu Road Suburban                             |
|      | Suburban                                                             |
| 46   | 93015 Churchgate - Dahanu Road                                       |
| 48   | 93017 Borivali - Dahanu Road Suburban                                |

|   49 | 93018 Dahanu Road - Virar Suburban       |
|------|------------------------------------------|
|   50 | 93019 Churchgate - Dahanu Road Suburban  |
|   51 | 93020 Dahanu Road - Virar Suburban       |
|   52 | 93021 Virar - Dahanu Road Suburban       |
|   53 | 93022 Dahanu Road - Churchgate Suburban  |
|   54 | 93023/93024 Virar - Dahanu Road Suburban |
|   55 | 93025 Virar - Dahanu Road Suburban       |
|   56 | 93026 Dahanu Road - Churchgate Suburban  |
|   57 | 93027 Virar - Dahanu Road Suburban       |
|   58 | 93028 Dahanu Road - Dadar Suburban       |
|   59 | 93029/93030 Virar - Dahanu Road Suburban |
|   60 | 93031 Churchgate - Dahanu Road Suburban  |
|   61 | 93032 Dahanu Road - Virar Suburban       |
|   62 | 93033 Virar - Dahanu Road Suburban       |
|   63 | 93034 Dahanu Road - Churchgate Suburban  |
|   64 | 93035 Dadar - Dahanu Road Suburban       |
|   65 | 93036 Dahanu Road - Churchgate Suburban  |
|   66 | 93037 Virar - Dahanu Road Suburban       |
|   67 | 93038 Dahanu Road - Churchgate Suburban  |
|   68 | 93039/93040 Virar - Dahanu Road Suburban |
|   69 | 93041 Churchgate - Dahanu Road Suburban  |
|   70 | 93042 Dahanu Road - Virar Suburban       |

*****