Uttar Pradesh: Modern Coach Factory In Rae Bareli To Manufacture 'Upgraded And Superior' Vande Bharat Coaches

Vande Bharat, the semi-high-speed trains that are Made in India and 'made for the world', is set to enhance the glory of Uttar Pradesh.

The Modern Coach Factory in Rae Bareli's Lalganj will manufacture the coaches of Vande Bharat.

The outer shell of the train has already been constructed, and the design work is in progress.

Previously, the coaches were manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai.

On 15 February 2019, the first Vande Bharat Express train was inaugurated on the New Delhi-Kanpur-Prayagraj-Varanasi route. The country had planned to introduce 75 such trains at that time.

Currently, Vande Bharat is operational on 17 different routes, and five new routes are expected to be added on 26 Jun.

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in the Union Budget 2022-23 that 400 new-generation Vande Bharat trains with better energy efficiency and passenger riding experience would be developed and manufactured over the next three years.

Meeting deadlines necessitate a huge rise in manufacturing capacity and skilled labour.

The required orders were issued to the officials responsible shortly following the announcement of the Union Budget 2022-23.

Prashant Kumar Mishra, the current general manager, stated that funds were then allocated and necessary infrastructure additions were made.

Mishra said that in November 2022, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inspected the site to assess the progress of work on the outer shell.

"As of now, the shell has been completed and work on its design is currently underway," he added.

Mishra revealed that Siemens, a German multinational, was brought on board to assist with the design work, which began in February 2023.

“Over 75 per cent of the interiors, hardware and technical work has been finalised. If things go according to the plan, the first coach will be rolled out in 3-4 months,” he added, reports Economic Times.

Mishra emphasised that the Vande Bharat being produced at the Modern Coach Factory in Rae Bareli was in a league of its own.

"Our task is more than just prototyping the original design developed by the Indian Coach Factory in Chennai. Our goal is to provide India with a superior and upgraded version," he said.