Indian Railways in near future will launch services of Vande Metro on the lines of Vande Bharat trains which are operating across the country. This was announced by Railway Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw after the presentation of Union Budget 2023 by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the parliament.
The Vande Metro, a mini version of the Vande Bharat Express trains, will be developed by the Railways for people living around big cities to travel to and fro in comfort between their place of work and hometowns, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said.
While the Vande Bharat trains did not get a mention in the finance minister’s speech, the announcement of a mini version of it was the highlight of Vaishnaw’s post-budget press conference. “For making the travelling easier for the passengers of nearby areas of a state, Vande metro trains, completely manufactured in India under the vision of PM Modi, will soon be introduced in the country,” the minister said.
Features of Vande Bharat Metro:
“We are also developing Vande Metro… Around big cities, there are large habitations from where people would like to come to the big city for work or leisure, and go back to their home place. “For that, we are coming up with a Vande Bharat equivalent Vande Metro. This year the design and production will be completed, and in the next financial year, a ramp-up of production of the train will be done.
‘Vande Metro’… soon #AmritKaalBudget pic.twitter.com/uY8kDcyxdR
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) February 1, 2023
“These will be like rapid shuttle-like experience for passengers,” said Vaishnaw.
The Railways is already working on a sleeper version of the semi-high speed Vande Bharat trains.
Officials said that these trains will be of eight coaches and will be like a metro train.
The Ministry of Railways has directed the General Managers (GMs) of Chennai-based Integral Coach Factory (ICF) and Lucknow-based Research Design and Standard Organisation (RDSO) to roll out the rakes of eight-car Vande Bharat trains at the earliest.
A senior railway official said the decision to run Vande Bharat trains with a shorter car composition will prove a boon to passengers, especially traders, students and the working class people who want to visit different big cities.
“Today’s budget will make India the growth engine for the whole world. As the prime minister said the world is looking at India as a ray of hope, the Budget envisages that vision.
He also said that India will get its first Hydrogen train by December 2023 which will be completely indigenously manufactured.”It would initially be run on heritage circuits like Kalka-Shimla and will be expanded,” he said.
