Vande Bharat Express Gets a Saffron Makeover, ICF Chennai Builds the 28th Vande Bharat Train with 25 Upgrades

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw visited the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai today (08.07.2023) to inspect the ongoing production of Vande Bharat Express coaches. He specifically examined the new version of the Vande Bharat Express, which features a vibrant saffron color scheme.

During his interaction with the media, Minister Vaishnaw expressed his satisfaction with the improvements being made to the Vande Bharat Express. He highlighted that he scrutinized approximately 25 safety and technical enhancements incorporated in the upcoming Vande Bharat Express currently under production. These upgrades include an increased seat reclining angle, improved cushioning, enhanced accessibility to mobile-charging points, extended footrests in the Executive Chair Cars, deeper washbasins to prevent water splashing, improved lighting in the toilets, provision of fixing points for wheelchairs used by Divyangjan passengers in the driving trailer coaches, transition from resistive touch to capacitive touch for reading lamps, better roller blind fabric, and anti-climbing devices in the Vande Bharat Express and other trains to enhance safety.

Minister Vaishnaw emphasized that the Indian Railways is actively incorporating feedback received from passengers and stakeholders to enhance the comfort and safety of the coaches. The production of the Vande Bharat Sleeper Version and Vande Metro Coaches is progressing well. The Railways has undertaken a significant project to manufacture coaches with advanced features that cater to the unreserved and general class of passengers, ensuring high-quality trains are available for their travel needs.

Additionally, the Railway Minister held discussions with B.G. Mallya, General Manager of ICF, and other officials of the ICF. He also took the opportunity to meet with staff representatives during his visit.