Will the New Vande Bharat Sleeper Redefine Comfort for Passengers?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Redesigned upper berths for comfort and accessibility.
- Passenger feedback significantly shaped the design.
- Easy-to-use ladders for upper berths increase usability.
- First train delivery expected next year.
- Joint venture aims to produce and maintain 1,920 sleeper coaches.
New Delhi, Oct 15 (NationPress) The soon-to-be-launched Vande Bharat Sleeper trains are set to include reimagined upper berths that promise enhanced comfort and accessibility for travelers of all ages, according to a government official on Wednesday.
Nishank Garg, the Director of the Vande Bharat Project at Kinet— the collaborative venture overseeing this initiative— shared with IANS that input from passengers significantly influenced the updated design.
“There has been a widespread belief that the upper berth lacks comfort and is hard to reach. We have designed the new Vande Bharat Sleeper with this feedback in mind,” said Garg.
He further mentioned that the ladder leading to the upper berths has been specifically designed for ease of access, making it more user-friendly. “This improvement will be featured in the very first train, which we aim to debut next year. Progress toward this goal is moving swiftly,” Garg added.
Evgeny Maslov, Chief Designer of the Vande Bharat Project at Kinet, stated that the design embodies a commitment to improve comfort and transform long-haul rail travel in India.
“Our aim is to deliver an unparalleled travel experience. We view Vande Bharat as a critically important project for the nation, and this is our vision for its future evolution,” he emphasized.
Kinet Railway Solutions is a partnership between CJSC Transmashholding—Russia’s premier rolling stock manufacturer—and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), a public sector entity under the Ministry of Railways. Their collaboration is tasked with designing and producing 1,920 sleeper coaches (120 trainsets) for the Vande Bharat project and ensuring maintenance over the next 35 years.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw remarked that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, 35,000 kilometers of new railway tracks have been built, 46,000 kilometers electrified, and 40,000 new coaches manufactured in the last 11 years.
In these past 11 years, Prime Minister Modi has emphasized railway modernization, and the outcomes are clearly evident, he noted.