The country’s state-of-the-art high-speed train Vande Bharat Express currently has the facility of chair car and passengers are eagerly waiting for its sleeper version. But there may be a delay. The reason is that the design of the sleeper coach version of the Vande Bharat train has not been finalized even 14 months after signing the Rs 55,000 crore contract with Russian company TMH. Railways wants more toilets in each coach, pantry car in each train set and luggage space in each coach as per Indian requirements. These changes may increase the cost of the project and delay the start of trains.
Kinect Railway Solutions is a joint venture (SPV) of Russian company TMH and Indian Railways PSU RVNL. It signed a Rs 55,000 crore deal with Indian Railways to manufacture 1,920 Vande Bharat sleeper coaches in September 2023 and maintain them for 35 years. TMH CEO Kirill Liepa said that we hope that the first prototype of the train will be ready by the end of this year. But Indian Railways demanded changes in the design and we had to rework it. We need time and additional budget to make these changes. Kinnett has also sought compensation for the design changes.
When will the prototype arrive?
He said that if Indian Railways postpones this process then the time may increase. We want to start production as soon as possible. Our problem can be solved in two hours. But we waste time in sending and replying letters. He said that if all goes well, the prototype of the sleeper version of Vande Bharat will be available in the second quarter of next year.
A TMH spokesperson said the original contract called for the production of 120 trains with 16 coaches each. Currently, 80 trains of 24 coaches are to be made. Earlier there was talk of three toilets in every coach, now four toilets are being made. Similarly, pantry car is being provided in every train. This was not a condition in the original contract. Railways have also demanded more luggage space in each coach.
Railway’s argument
A railway spokesperson said that technical changes were demanded as per the contract agreement and Kinect responded after a lag of 4-5 months. It is being verified. Railways said that keeping in mind the future needs of the passengers, the decision has been taken to make a train with 24 coaches.
The issue was raised at a high-level meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov in Delhi last week. TMH CEO Kirill Lipa said that Russian President Vladimir Putin is also aware of this. Kirill said, ‘We raised this issue during the meeting. It is not that we are asking the Russian government to exert any kind of pressure, but we want the Indian Railways to give us an explanation. For this we need some cooperation from the Government of India.
