Not long ago, railway passengers had to endure 11 or more hours of train travel— assuming it ran on time—to travel the 770-km distance between Delhi and Varanasi. The only quicker option was taking a flight. All that changed after Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the first Vande Bharat Express at New Delhi in February 2019.
The gleaming white train was different. For starters, it didn’t need an engine to pull it. It featured 16 newly designed chair cars and had a top speed of 160 kmph. The Vande Bharat marked India’s first tryst with semi-high-speed ‘trainset’ technology, designed and built in India.
Its older cousins, the Rajdhanis and the Shatabdis, with their maximum speeds of 110 kmph, instantly paled in comparison. Thanks to the new technology of fully electric, self-propelled coaches, this train could accelerate and decelerate much faster than conventional loco-hauled trains. The impact was evident as it trimmed the travel time between Delhi and Varanasi by three hours, compared to the fastest trains on the route.
Beyond speed, the Vande Bharat’s interiors mirrored modern trains in developed countries—the engineers claimed they were inspired by highspeed trains in Europe. It had reclinable seats that rotated 180 degrees to face the direction of the journey and automatic, sensor-driven doors between coaches. There were biovacuum, modular toilets with ‘touch-free’ fittings, ‘airline-like’ lighting, screen-based passenger information system in every coach, charging points under every seat, wi-fi, even a specially curated menu. The look and feel were a marked departure from other railway offerings. So was the ticket price, often about double that of other trains.
この記事は India Today の October 23, 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は India Today の October 23, 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
FUELLING AMBITIONS
Puri's return signals a welcome continuity. Oil production and green fuels remain a challenge
Acceptance Certificates
The Ayush ministry must push for rigorous treatment protocol based on science and ensure new and high-quality products
THE HEALTH MAKEOVER
Providing adequate and quality healthcare to a large population is a challenge. The immediate task is to provide affordable treatment and tackle the burden of spiraling non-communicable diseases
THE GREEN TIGHTROPE
If the government is to realise its grand promises of a green revival, it needs to show unwavering commitment. Pollution and depleting forest cover remain major worries
REALISING THE TRUE POTENTIAL
Conserving and promoting India's rich heritage can generate jobs and spur other sectors too
MAKING YOUTH EMPLOYABLE
To cash in on its demographic advantage, India must revamp its skilling infrastructure with aid from the industry
CRACK THE REFORM CODE
Educational reform is unfinished business. More resources and full adoption of NEP are a must to end disparities, fill vacancies and train teachers
FISHING FOR SUCCESS
Empowering the fisheries sector and the national livestock census will be top priority
POWER-PACKED AGENDA
Reforms in the power sector are key to meeting the exponential growth in demand for electricity
BREAKING THE GRID LOCK
Joshi's big challenge, apart from synergies with the power ministry, will be to popularise the green fuels of the future