Vande Bharat Express: Upgrades and Safety Initiatives in the Railways Sector
The Vande Bharat Express is seeing significant advancements with new manufacturing facilities at Kapurthala and Bareilly. Meanwhile, safety measures such as extensive fencing are being implemented to prevent animal collisions which have caused damage to locomotives.
Highlights
- •Vande Bharat Express train sets expanding production in multiple locations
- •Safety fencing installed along 16,398 kilometers of railway tracks
- •First Vande Bharat train set produced at Kapurthala Coach Factory, March 2026
- •Pedestrian subways being constructed to enhance safety and convenience
Vande Bharat Express: Good news for railway passengers. The Vande Bharat Express has become a favorite train, with almost full occupancy on most routes. Indian Railways is now expanding this service to cover smaller towns, boosting the national transport network.
Manufacturing and Production
The initial 16-coach Vande Bharat chaircar rake was produced at the Kapurthala Coach Factory in March 2026. This marks an important milestone as production is set to commence at two different locations: Kapurthala and Bareilly. The Ministry of Railways has already initiated preparations for this expansion, highlighting efforts to diversify manufacturing sites.
The Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai continues to produce Vande Bharat chaircar trains. Currently, 97 such train sets have been manufactured there, significantly enhancing the country's high-speed railway network. With these new facilities, India is expected to ramp up production and meet growing demands for these luxury trains.
While the Vande Bharat Express has been a successful innovation, incidents of animal collisions with the train have led to noticeable damage to the nose of the locomotive. In response, Indian Railways has taken significant steps, installing safety fencing along 16,398 kilometers of railway tracks. This measure will reduce the risk of animal-vehicle accidents and improve overall rail operations.
Moving Forward
The zones where most of this installation work is being carried out include:
- North Central Railway: 2,721 km
- South Central Railway: 2,326 km
- Western Railway: 2,257 km
In addition to safety fencing, pedestrian subways are being constructed along the Lonavala-Pune-Daund route. This project, worth ₹209.38 crore, aims to create alternative routes for pedestrians, further enhancing safety and convenience.
