The country’s second Vande Bharat Sleeper Train has received approval, and this high-speed train will run between Varanasi and New Delhi. The train will also stop at Kanpur Central and Prayagraj. This will provide passengers from Purvanchal, central Uttar Pradesh, and the industrial city of Kanpur with a new travel option between Delhi and Varanasi.
Vande Bharat Sleeper Between Varanasi and Delhi
According to the proposed schedule, the Vande Bharat Sleeper train will depart Varanasi at 8:40 pm, arrive in Prayagraj at 10:05 pm and Kanpur Central at around 11:50 pm. The train will reach New Delhi railway station at around 4:50 am. The journey from Varanasi to Delhi is expected to take approximately 8 hours and 10 minutes.
According to the proposed return timings, the train will depart from New Delhi at 11:25 pm. It will arrive in Kanpur around 3:30 am and in Prayagraj at 5:38 am. The train is then expected to reach Varanasi at around 7:35 am. However, the Railways have not yet officially released these timings. The final schedule and dates of operation are expected after the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) gives final approval.
This train’s stop in Kanpur will benefit passengers travelling between Delhi and Varanasi. Passengers from Kanpur, as well as surrounding districts and central Uttar Pradesh, will enjoy fast and comfortable rail connectivity.
The state-of-the-art sleeper rack will have 823 berths
The proposed train will have 16 coaches and about 823 berths. It will include 11 third-AC coaches, four second-AC coaches, and one first-AC coach. Initially, the train’s maximum speed is reported to be 130 kilometres per hour. There are plans to increase this speed to 160 kilometres per hour later. The train rack is reportedly ready for trials.
BHEL, Titagarh Rail Systems to form JV
Meanwhile, state-owned BHEL has inked an agreement with Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd to set up a joint venture for comprehensive maintenance of Vande Bharat sleeper train sets for 35 years. The joint venture will be equally shared (50:50) between BHEL and TRSL.
The JV shall be incorporated as a ‘private limited’ company with an initial paid-up share capital of Rs 50,00,000. The registered office of the JV company shall be situated in Delhi, it said.
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