Vande Bharat Sleeper trials underway, says Ashwini Vaishnaw as MPs seek launch timeline

New Delhi, Dec 10 (PTI) The sleeper variant of the Vande Bharat train has been designed to cater to long and medium distance overnight travel, and two such trainsets are currently under trial, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

More than half a dozen MPs raised questions regarding the timeline for its rollout, asking, "whether the government has conducted any feasibility studies or pilot projects" along with the "details of the proposed route" of its launch.

"To cater to long and medium distance overnight travel, the sleeper variant of the Vande Bharat train has been indigenously designed. Two such rakes have been manufactured and are under trial/commissioning," Vaishnaw said.

The minister, while highlighting its broad technological advancements and safety features, said that these trains are fitted with KAVACH, higher acceleration with a design speed of 180 kmph and an operating speed of 160 kmph, crashworthy and jerk-free semi-permanent couplers and anti climbers, along with high fire safety standards.

Vaishnaw added that the train has fire barrier doors at the end of each coach, an improved fire safety aerosol-based fire detection and suppression system in electrical cabinets as well as lavatories, a regenerative braking system for energy efficiency, air conditioning units with an indigenously developed UV-C lamp-based disinfection system and centrally controlled automatic plug doors and fully sealed wider gangways.

According to the railway minister, there are CCTVs in all coaches, emergency talk-back units for communication between the passenger and train manager/loco pilot in case of emergency, special lavatories in the driving coaches on each end for Divyangjan passengers, and a centralised coach monitoring system for better condition monitoring of passenger amenities such as air conditioning, saloon lighting, etc.

On questions regarding the resumption of train operations suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly those passing through Dumka in Jharkhand and Jammu in J-K, Vaishnaw said that with a view to containing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian Railways had discontinued the operation of all regular passenger carrying trains with effect from March 23 2020, and only special train services were being operated.

"Indian Railways also undertook rationalisation of time-table, including rationalisation of train services to provide for better passenger safety by creating maintenance corridor blocks and to improve punctuality," the railway minister said.

He added, "Since November 2021, express train services have been operated according to a rationalised timetable and regular numbers. Accordingly, Dumka is served by 26 train services while Jammu Tawi is served by 110 train services." Talking about the daily average number of train services, he said that 11,740 trains were operated in November 2025, as against 11,283 services offered before COVID-19.

"The daily average number of mail/express services on the Indian Railways network is 2,238 (November 2025) as against 1,768 services operating before COVID-19," Vaishnaw said. PTI JP MPL MPL