India has officially opened its first sleeper train under the Vande Bharat name. A ceremony held in Malda, West Bengal, saw the train being flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The launch of the train is a significant milestone in the development of modern railway services in India.
Prime Minister Modi talked to some of the students who were on board the sleeper train during the event. Besides, he also got into the train and had a look at the facilities offered to the passengers. The Vande Bharat sleeper train will be running on the route from Howrah in West Bengal to Guwahati (Kamakhya) in Assam.
The train can run at a maximum speed of up to 180 km/h, and this speed was attained during the final trial that took place between Kota in Rajasthan and Nagda in Madhya Pradesh. The tests were conducted in the presence of the Railway Safety Commissioner. Earlier, Railways Minister Vaishnaw displayed that no water glasses placed one above another inside the machine tipped off even at top speed.
The Vande Bharat sleeper train is made up of 16 coaches. Modern AC sleeper berths and advanced suspension technology are among the facilities provided to the train. Fire detection systems and CCTV surveillance are part of the safety measures. Comfort that can be compared to air travel is the target set by the overall design.
The lowest fare for the Vande Bharat sleeper train is Rs. 960. RAC and waiting list tickets are not applicable for this service.
