The popularity of Vande Bharat is such that countries such as Chile, Canada, and Malaysia have also expressed strong interest in importing Vande Bharat trains from India.
New Delhi: Indian Railways witnessed meteoric transformation ever since Narendra Modi took charge as Prime Minister of India in 2014. India’s first indigenously designed and manufactured semi-high-speed train, Vande Bharat, has been a cornerstone of the country’s efforts to modernise its rail infrastructure. The first Vande Bharat train was launched on 15 February 2019. Since then, the fleet has rapidly expanded, with over 50 Vande Bharat trains currently operating across various routes in India.
According to the Indian Railways, these trains have already completed approximately 40,000 trips and carried over 4 crore passengers. The fleet travelled a distance equivalent to 310.7 rounds of the Earth in the fiscal year 2023-24. The extensive network of these trains covers more than 280 districts across 24 states and Union Territories, highlighting their widespread reach and efficiency.
The popularity of Vande Bharat is such that countries such as Chile, Canada, and Malaysia have also expressed strong interest in importing Vande Bharat trains from India. According to a PTI report, sources indicate that external buyers are attracted to these trains for several compelling reasons.
It is important to note that the Indian railways have replaced all diesel trains with electric trains. It takes a huge amount of electricity to run a train now. Electric trains are more cost-effective compared to diesel engines. They require 20 units of electricity to travel 1 kilometer. According to media reports, the electric trains running in the Ajmer railway division cover a distance of 1 kilometer using 20 units of electricity.
Indian Railways pays Rs 6.50 per unit for electricity. Based on this, the total cost of running one kilometer is Rs 130. If we talk about a diesel engine, it consumes around 3.5 to 4 liters of diesel per kilometer, which means a fuel cost of approximately Rs 350 to Rs 400 per kilometer.
