ICF Targets November Deadline for 24-Coach Vande Bharat Sleeper Design

Sudhanshu Mani, the creator of India's Vande Bharat train, has welcomed the Integral Coach Factory's (ICF) plan to finalise the design of a 24-coach Vande Bharat sleeper train by November 10, 2026, describing it as a vital step towards expanding overnight rail services.

The Chennai-based ICF has also targeted May or June 2027 for the prototype's completion, following a delay of more than four years in developing the sleeper variant. Mani said the timeline was critical for improving railway capacity and meeting passenger demand for premium overnight travel.

"Better late than never, this timeline is critical," he said, adding that longer trainsets would help optimise the use of India's congested railway tracks.

The sleeper version was envisaged when the Vande Bharat platform was launched in 2018, as daytime chair-car services were expected to reach an occupancy ceiling. Mani claimed that nearly 30 per cent of Vande Bharat daytime services currently suffer from poor occupancy.

He said the original plan was to deliver a sleeper prototype by late 2019, but a nearly four-year hiatus in the project derailed the schedule. The delay also contributed to the use of shorter, eight-coach chair-car formations on some routes, instead of standard 16-coach trains, he argued.

Currently, two 16-coach Vande Bharat sleeper trains operate between Kamakhya in Assam and Howrah in West Bengal, attracting a strong passenger response. The trains feature ergonomically designed berths, improved cushioning, automatic doors, enhanced suspension, noise reduction and technology aimed at maintaining sanitation.

To accelerate the rollout, Indian Railways has also awarded contracts for 200 sleeper trainsets to private-sector ventures involving Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd, Russia's TMH, Titagarh and Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. However, delays in contractual and design clearances prompted the Railways to order an initial batch of 10 sleeper trainsets from Bharat Earth Movers Ltd (BEML).

A BEML-built rake has already inaugurated commercial Vande Bharat sleeper services on the Howrah-Kamakhya corridor. Mani said timely completion of the ICF design and prototype would strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities and improve the efficiency of overnight rail operations