Six months on, Vande Bharat sleeper yet to get safety clearance for operations

IT has been over six months since the prototype of the Vande Bharat sleeper version was dispatched from the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) for trials and testing, but it is yet to receive clearance for operation.

- B ANBUSELVAN @Chennai

The 16-coach prototype, designed by ICF and manufactured by the Bengaluru-based public sector company BEML (formerly Bharat Earth Movers Limited), was built at a cost of ₹120 crore.

Following its production, commissioning of the rake was delayed for a few months after ICF flagged several manufacturing defects, which BEML later addressed. Although the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) successfully completed speed trials at 160 kmph in January, the train is still awaiting approval from the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), officials said.