Vande Metro Takes Off: Indian Railways Conducts First-Ever Trial Run From Chennai To Katpadi Junction

The Indian Railways conducted the first-ever trial run of the Vande Metro train set. This new initiative aims to revolutionise intra-city transportation.

On 3 August, the Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety (CCRS) conducted a speed trial of the Vande Metro. Senior officers from the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), and Southern Railway were present during the trial.

Janak Kumar Garg, the CCRS, visited the Integral Coach Factory on 2 August to inspect the first rake of the Vande Metro train. The train variant, manufactured at ICF, consists of 12 fully air-conditioned coaches capable of running up to 110 kmph. Designed for inter-city travel between 150-200 km, the Vande Metro promises to enhance passenger comfort and safety.

As per The Hindu report, Vande Metro, which was brought from the Villivakkam yard, departed from the Chennai Beach railway station at 9 a.m. and reached the Katpadi Junction railway station at 11.55 a.m. After a small interval, the train left Katpadi at 12.05 p.m. and arrived back at the Chennai Beach railway station at 2 p.m.

The seating arrangement is designed as a 3X3 bench system to maximise passenger capacity and offer optimum comfort for medium-distance travel. Coaches will have a wheelchair-accessible lavatory.

For the safety of passengers, there is a talkback system so that the driver can communicate in case of an emergency. To prevent collisions, the train will also be equipped with the Kavach system.

For the comfort of passengers, the gangway, which connects two coaches will be wide-like corridors for easy movement within the train. The entry doors are also spacious and wide with openable windows for an emergency.

As of now, 102 Vande Bharat train services are operational across the Indian Railways network, providing semi-high-speed travel options to passengers.