- By Imran Zafar
- Sat, 19 Aug 2023 02:05 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Indian Railways is set to unveil the redesigned semi-high-speed Vande Bharat Express train with a new exterior. The new trains will have orange and grey-coloured exteriors and are likely to be introduced on August 19 from the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai.
The revamped Vande Bharat Express will not just have a different colour but it will include a slew of innovative safety and technical enhancement features. According to reports, the new trains will have eight coaches and are expected to have comfortable reclining seats, better access to mobile charging points and improvements in the basin to prevent water splashes.
The passengers in new semi-high-speed trains will also be able to experience better lighting in washrooms, touch-sensitive reading lamps and advanced roller blind fabric. Apart from the general improvements, the new Vande Bharat Express trains will also come with special features for wheelchair-bound passengers.
Earlier in July, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed the new orange-coloured coaches of the upcoming new rake of Vande Bharat Express trains. He also said that the new colour of the 28th rake of the indigenous train is inspired by Indian Tricolour which symbolises the nation’s identity and unity.
The made in India, semi-high-speed train already runs on 25 routes across the country, with two extra trains as a backup. The first Vande Bharat Train was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 15, 2019, and runs between New Delhi and Varanasi.
The train was developed by ICF Chennai in less than two years, starting in mid-2017. It was originally called Train-18 but was renamed in January 2019 to highlight its indigenous nature. The train can reach a top speed of 180 kmph and it achieved the maximum speed on the Kota-Sawai Madhopur section.