Indian Railways is gearing up to launch its highly anticipated Vande Bharat metro trains, marking a significant milestone in the country’s rail transport sector.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the first of these state-of-the-art trains will be manufactured at the Kapurthala Rail Coach Factory and are slated to hit the tracks later this year, with the prototype already prepared for testing. Designed to cater to India’s burgeoning inter-city and suburban travel demands, these metro trains are configured as 12-coach units, with the flexibility to extend to 16 coaches if necessary. Initial projections indicate that approximately 50 trains will be introduced in the first two years post-approval of the prototype, signaling a significant step forward in the country’s rail infrastructure development.
With the production of Vande Bharat metro trains, India is poised to join the ranks of leading global manufacturers in the metro train rolling stock segment, currently dominated by countries like Europe, South Korea, China, and Canada. This initiative underscores the government’s commitment to promoting indigenous manufacturing capabilities and reducing reliance on foreign imports. Furthermore, the rollout of these domestically manufactured trains is expected to pave the way for substantial cost savings, with estimates suggesting a potential reduction of up to one-fourth in the per-unit cost compared to imported metro systems. This cost efficiency is anticipated to make the Indian metro system one of the most economically viable options worldwide.
The ambitious project envisions connecting over 125 cities across the country, covering short distances ranging from 100 to 250 kilometers. Initial routes will include key cities such as Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Mathura, Varanasi, Tirupati, and Chennai, with plans to expand to additional destinations based on demand. Moreover, the potential for exporting these metro trains is being explored, presenting opportunities for India to establish itself as a global player in the rail transport industry.
