Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday confirmed that the eagerly awaited Vande Bharat Sleeper trains will be launched once the second rake is ready for service. One train has already completed trials and testing at the Shakur Basti Coaching Depot in Delhi, while the second is expected to be manufactured by October 15, 2025.
“Both trains will be launched together. The second rake is essential to maintain continuity of operations. Once it is ready, we will finalize a route and start services,” Vaishnaw told reporters.
Possible Route Between Delhi and Patna
Speculation is strong that the first Vande Bharat Sleeper service may operate between New Delhi and Patna, particularly with the upcoming Bihar elections at the end of this year. However, the final decision on routes will be taken only after the second train is ready.
Boost for Punjab’s Rail Infrastructure
Alongside updates on the sleeper project, Vaishnaw and Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu briefed the media about ongoing and new railway projects in Punjab.
One of the key highlights is the 18-kilometre Rajpura-Mohali line, which will link Mohali to Chandigarh via the shortest route on the Ambala-Amritsar main line. This project will reduce travel distance by 66 kilometres and decongest the busy Rajpura-Ambala route.
Vaishnaw also revealed a proposal for a new Vande Bharat Express between New Delhi and Firozpur Cantonment, covering 486 km in 6 hours and 40 minutes. The train will stop at key stations including Faridkot, Bhatinda (W), Dhuri, Patiala, Ambala Cantonment, Kurukshetra, and Panipat.
“I will request the Prime Minister to approve the Firozpur-Delhi Vande Bharat train,” Vaishnaw said.
Major Railway Projects Completed Since 2014
The ministers listed nine railway projects commissioned since 2014, including:
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Nangal Dam–Daulat Pur Chowk line (61 km, ₹672 crore)
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Doubling of Chakki Bank–Bharoli line (3 km, ₹15 crore)
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Jakhal–Mansa line (45 km, ₹163 crore)
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JUC–SuchiPind line (4 km, ₹24 crore)
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Ambala–Chandigarh line (45 km, ₹338 crore)
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Mansa–Bhatinda line (49 km, ₹216 crore)
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Amritsar–Chheharta line (7 km, ₹31 crore)
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Jalandhar–Jammu Tawi line (211 km, ₹850 crore)
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Rajpura–Bathinda line (173 km, ₹2,459 crore)
Ongoing Projects in Punjab
Seven more projects are currently under execution, including:
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Nangal Dam–Talwara new line (123 km, ₹2,018 crore)
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Bhanupalli–Bilaspur–Beri new line (63 km, ₹6,753 crore)
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Ferozpur–Patti new line (26 km, ₹300 crore)
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Doubling of Mansa–Bhatinda line (80 km, ₹449 crore)
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Ludhiana–Kila Raipur line (17 km, ₹238 crore)
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Ludhiana–Mullanpur line (21 km, ₹295 crore)
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Alal–Himmatana line (13 km, ₹174 crore)
Station Redevelopment and Punctuality Gains
Vaishnaw also announced that 30 stations in Punjab are being modernized under the Amrit Bharat Station Redevelopment Scheme, aimed at providing world-class amenities to passengers.
Highlighting operational achievements, the minister said that 29 railway divisions – including Malda, Mysore, Sealdah, Nagpur, and Trivandrum – have achieved 90% punctuality in train operations.
A Step Towards Modern Rail Travel
The upcoming Vande Bharat Sleeper trains are expected to mark a significant leap in long-distance passenger travel by combining speed, comfort, and efficiency. With the Railways also pushing ahead on regional connectivity and modernization projects, the announcements underline the government’s commitment to upgrading India’s rail infrastructure.
