Vande Metro to roll out early 2024; Indian Railways readies 130 kmph train for short distance rapid transit
Sharing details about the project, ICF GM BG Mallya told ET that the Vande Metro trains will be designed for travel distances of up to 300 kilometers. “The Vande Metro was conceived as a replacement for what we call as Mainline EMU. So it is going to be for these shorter leads of 250 to 300 kilometers,” Mallya said.
<p>Vande Metro concept<br><span class=”redactor-invisible-space”></span></p>
The manufacturing of the first Vande Metro train has started, the ICF GM said, adding that the coach factory aims to roll it out in January 2024.
Vande Metro train features
According to BG Mallya, the Vande Metro will have all major features of the Vande Bharat Express trains. “The only difference is on the Vande chair car, you don’t have space for standees. This train would have space for standees. In each coach, you can carry 100 passengers on the seats and 200 standees,” he said.
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Some of the salient features of the Vande Metro trains will be:
- Operating speed of 130 kmph
- Fully air-conditioned
- Fully sealed gangways
- Light weight car body & light weight cushioned seats of contemporary design
- 4 sets of wider automatic plug-in door
- Aerodynamically designed driving end
- CCTV, cameras, PIS system with LCD displays
- Diffused lighting, route indicator displays
- Automatic fire detection and alarm system
- Wider panoramic sealed windows with roller blinds
- Emergency Talk Back Unit
- Mobile charging sockets
- Modular toilet with vacuum evacuation system
- Light aluminum luggage rack
- KAVACH train anti collision system
- Toilet for PRM in driving car
Vande Metro concept
“As I told you, it’s a replacement for the MEMU. So whatever the MEMU has, it has at least that. And what we have added is the air-conditioning, the automatic doors, the Kavach, the gangways,” he added.
