First Russian-tech Vande Bharat sleeper still not ready: Kinet may face penalty over unresolved issues as train is now pushed to March 2027

The rollout of the first Vande Bharat sleeper train using Russian technology is likely to be delayed by another six months, with Indian Railways now targeting March 2027 for the prototype, according to a report by TOI. The repeated delay by Kinet Railway Solutions, which is responsible for developing the prototype for 120 trainsets, could result in a penalty if the pending issues are not resolved, TOI reported, citing sources.

Vande Bharat sleeper train rollout pushed to March 2027

Kinet, a joint venture between Russian rolling stock manufacturer TMH and Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL), was originally expected to roll out the first prototype in June. The deadline was subsequently moved to September and has now been extended further to March 2027, as the company is yet to meet certain conditions required for final approval, according to TOI.

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The delay comes as the railway authorities continue to examine various components and systems of the 16-coach sleeper train.

Issues with key Vande Bharat sleeper components

According to the TOI report, unresolved issues involve several components and sub-components of the train. These reportedly include the mini-pantry car, berths, ladders, traction motor, converter and braking systems.

Kinet has submitted proposals covering various components, but railway authorities have raised observations on some of them. The outstanding issues are yet to be resolved.

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While the company has already secured basic design approval for the sleeper train, it still needs to obtain additional approvals before manufacturing and rolling out the prototype.

Railways unlikely to offer more time

Officials have indicated that Indian Railways may not provide further relaxation on the pending requirements, according to TOI.

The repeated postponement could also expose Kinet to a penalty if the outstanding issues are not addressed within the stipulated requirements.

The Railway Ministry did not respond to TOI's queries on the status of the sleeper trains, while a Kinet spokesperson declined to comment, the report said.

Rs 14,400 crore Vande Bharat sleeper train contract

Kinet Railway Solutions was awarded a Rs 14,400 crore contract to manufacture 120 Vande Bharat sleeper trainsets. Each trainset will have 16 coaches. Across the entire order, this translates to 1,920 coaches and a total of 823 berths per train.

The project is significant as it is aimed at bringing the Vande Bharat platform to long-distance overnight services, with sleeper coaches designed for journeys requiring passengers to travel overnight.

The first prototype must complete the remaining approval process before production and subsequent rollout can move ahead.


Inputs from TOI