The government on Wednesday (February 7) informed that the number of Vande Bharat trains has been boosted to 82, with efforts underway to enhance their speed to 160 kilometres per hour on the New Delhi-Mumbai and New Delhi-Howrah routes.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, in a written response to queries from 10 MPs in the Lok Sabha regarding Vande Bharat train services, stated, “As of January 31, 2024, there are 82 Vande Bharat train services operational throughout the Indian Railways, linking states with a Broad Gauge (BG) electrified network.”
He further mentioned, “Additionally, the provision for halting train services and the introduction of new train services, including Vande Bharat, are continual processes on the Indian Railways, contingent upon traffic demand, operational viability, resource availability, etc.”
Vande Bharat Express trains speed efficiency and revenue
Regarding questions about the revenue generated per train and per state from Vande Bharat trains, the minister clarified, “Detailed records of revenue generated per train and per state are not maintained.”
Responding to concerns raised by MPs about efforts to increase the speed of Vande Bharat trains, Vaishnaw stated, “The sectional speed over 10,981 route kilometres, covering the Golden Quadrilateral (GQ), diagonal routes, and other ‘B’ routes, has been elevated to 130 kmph.”
He added, “Furthermore, initiatives to raise sectional speed to 160 kmph on existing routes such as New Delhi-Mumbai (including Vadodara-Ahmedabad) and New Delhi-Howrah (including Kanpur-Lucknow) are in progress.”
Vande Bharat Express trains occupancy rates
Addressing queries regarding occupancy rates, the minister revealed, “During the fiscal year 2022-23, the overall occupancy of Vande Bharat trains stood at 96.62 percent.” MPs also sought information on other proposed enhancements for passenger convenience.
Vaishnaw informed, “The upgraded version of Vande Bharat trains currently operational across the Indian Railway network incorporates advanced safety features, improved acceleration, enhanced ride comfort, and passenger amenities including automatic plug doors, ergonomic reclining seats, comfortable seating with revolving seats in the executive class, mobile charging sockets for each seat, etc., and is equipped with the KAVACH system.”