- Why in news
- On 17 January 2026, PM Modi flagged off India's first Vande Bharat Sleeper train between Howrah and Guwahati (Kamakhya) at Malda, West Bengal. He also launched four Amrit Bharat Express trains and rail and road projects worth over ₹3,250 crore.
- What it is
- Vande Bharat Express is India's first indigenously designed and built semi-high-speed, self-propelled trainset. It replaces the locomotive-hauled model with an integrated trainset and is made at the Integral Coach Factory. It began service in 2019 on inter-city chair-car routes. The sleeper version extends the platform to overnight long-distance travel.
- First sleeper version
- The first Vande Bharat Sleeper train runs between Howrah and Guwahati (Kamakhya), flagged off at Malda Town station.
- Features
- The sleeper train is fully air-conditioned and offers an airline-like experience at economical fares.
- Time saved
- It cuts travel time on the Howrah–Kamakhya route by about 2.5 hours.
- Scale of fleet
- The PM said more than 150 Vande Bharat trains now run across the country.
- Amrit Bharat Express
- Four new Amrit Bharat Express trains were flagged off, linking North Bengal with South and West India.
- Maker
- Vande Bharat trainsets were first built at the Integral Coach Factory, Chennai, and began service in 2019 (Delhi–Varanasi).
- Manufacturer and localisation
- Built at the Integral Coach Factory with about 90% localisation, in line with Make in India.
- Kavach
- Kavach is India's indigenous Automatic Train Protection system, certified to SIL-4, which applies brakes automatically to prevent collisions and overspeeding.
Don’t confuse with Vande Bharat vs Amrit Bharat Express: Vande Bharat is a semi-high-speed, self-propelled trainset. Amrit Bharat is a push-pull, non-AC-focused service for affordable long-distance travel.
Don’t confuse with Design speed vs operating speed: Vande Bharat 2.0 is designed for 180 kmph but operates at up to 160 kmph, subject to route readiness.
Don’t confuse with Rajdhani vs Shatabdi: Rajdhani began in 1969 for overnight travel; Shatabdi began in 1988 for daytime travel.
Why it matters
- Brings comfortable, faster overnight travel and boosts indigenous rail manufacturing under Make in India.
- Improves connectivity of eastern and North-Eastern India, aiding tourism, trade and jobs.
- Faster inter-city travel supports economic integration and regional connectivity.
- Indigenous manufacturing builds domestic rail technology and export potential.
Problems
- Fares higher than ordinary trains may limit access for poorer passengers.
- Track capacity, speed limits and safety (such as Kavach coverage) restrict the benefit of faster trains.
- Top speeds are limited by track and signalling readiness on existing routes.
- Scaling to 800 and 4,500 trainsets depends on manufacturing capacity and infrastructure.
Way forward
- Upgrade tracks and signalling and expand Kavach so higher speeds are safe.
- Balance premium trains with affordable services like Amrit Bharat.
- Expand Kavach coverage and upgrade track so trains can run at design speed.
- Build dedicated high-speed corridors and scale up manufacturing.
Put in your answer
Indigenous rail manufacturing: The PM said India now makes more locomotives than America and Europe and exports coaches to many countries.
Ridership: By December 2025, 164 services ran across 274 districts, carrying over 7.5 crore passengers.
Occupancy: Occupancy was 102.01 percent in 2024-25, showing strong demand.
Energy award: ICF received the National Energy Conservation Award in 2024 for making Vande Bharat trainsets.
- 2022Mains GS3 · Q1Why PPP is needed in infrastructure and its role in railway station redevelopment.
- 2023Mains GS1 · Q3Socio-economic effects of introducing railways in different countries worldwide.
- 2014Mains GS2 · Q8Will a Rail Tariff Authority benefit consumers, Indian Railways, or private operators?
- 2002Prelims Q94Which statements on Indian transport systems and railways are correct?
- 2015Prelims Q93Which statements on bio-toilets used by Indian Railways are correct?
- 2025Prelims Q82Which statements on National Rail Plan and Kavach safety system are correct?
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: First Vande Bharat sleeper train (Howrah-Guwahati) flagged off, with Amrit Bharat trains. Lasting topic on file, but no testable provisions; no question likely.
Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.