New Delhi, Sep 23 (IANS) Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday said the Vande Bharat Sleeper trains will be launched soon as the second train is likely to be completed by the middle of next month, while the first train is ready for use after having undergone the required tests and trial runs. The two trains have to be launched together to ensure regular services on an overnight journey. The first train has cleared all the tests and trial runs and is currently at Delhi’s Shakur Basti Coaching Depot, officials said. Briefing the media, Vaishnaw said that the second train is being manufactured and will possibly be ready by October 15.

"Both the trains will be launched together," he said. The minister emphasised that the second train is important to maintain the continuity of regular services. "That's why we are waiting for a second rake. Once we get it, we will decide on any route and start operations," Vaishnaw added. Meanwhile, expectations are that the trains will be launched on the New Delhi-Patna route against the backdrop of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, voting for which is scheduled to take place at the end of the year.

Manufactured by BEML using Integral Coach Factory (ICF) technology, the Vande Bharat Sleeper train will comprise 16 coaches, segmented into AC First Class, AC 2-Tier, and AC 3-Tier. It will be able to carry 1,128 passengers and operate at a top speed of 180 kmph, making it one of the fastest overnight train services in the country. The train promises world-class amenities, such as integrated reading lights with USB charging, automated announcement and visual information systems, security cameras, modular pantries, and disabled-friendly berths and toilets.

Vaishnaw and Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu also briefed journalists on the railway projects in Punjab. The minister said the upcoming 18-kilometre Rajpura-Mohali line will connect the area to Chandigarh via the shortest route on the Ambala-Amritsar main line. Besides providing direct connectivity between Rajpura and Mohali and reducing travel distance by approximately 66 km, the railway line will also ease traffic on the existing Rajpura-Ambala route and shorten the Ambala-Morinda link.

Vaishnaw said the Railway Ministry has also proposed to launch a new Vande Bharat train between New Delhi and Firozpur Cantonment, which will cover the Faridkot, Bhatinda (W), Dhuri, Patiala, Ambala Cantonment, Kurukshetra, and Panipat stations. According to the Railways, the train will cover a distance of 486 kilometres between Delhi and Firozpur Cantonment in 6 hours and 40 minutes. Vaishnaw said: "I will request the Prime Minister to approve the Firozpur-Delhi Vande Bharat train."