Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail construction is 62% complete, but service start dates are unknown

It is planned that the responsibility for the technical maintenance of 80 Vande Bharat sleeper coaches will be carried out over 35 years. This major railway initiative goes beyond simple manufacturing. The responsibility for the long-term maintenance of these sets will be entrusted to a joint venture between Titagarh Rail Systems Limited (TRSL) and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL).

Previously, in April 2023, Titagarh Rail Systems and BHEL signed a contract worth approximately 24,000 crore rupees for the construction of 80 Vande Bharat sleeper coaches. Now, a corresponding structure is being developed to ensure the maintenance of these trains for 35 years, cementing the service system alongside production.

According to regulatory filings, BHEL and Titagarh Rail Systems will each hold a 50% stake in the proposed joint venture. Both companies will contribute equally to the share capital. This joint venture will be registered as a private company with an initial paid-up share capital of 50 thousand rupees and a registered office in Delhi.

Both companies are guaranteed equal representation on the joint venture's board of directors. BHEL will appoint two directors, and Titagarh Rail Systems will also appoint two directors. This agreement ensures equal participation of both companies in management and decision-making within the joint venture.

The main task of the proposed company will be to advance the planned activities in partnership between BHEL and Titagarh Rail Systems. It is through this structure that the responsibilities for maintaining the 80 Vande Bharat sleeper coaches will be assumed. According to regulatory documentation, the joint venture will utilize the technical potential and experience of both companies.

The focus will be on maintaining the operational readiness, safety, and reliability of the sets. This system is being created considering the projected 35-year lifespan of these trains, thus forming the institutional basis for long-term maintenance after construction completion.

Indian Railways is preparing to significantly expand the series of Vande Bharat sleeper coaches. According to the current plan, a total of 260 Vande Bharat sleeper coaches should be prepared. This will increase the network of fast and modern trains for long-distance night travel.

Under the existing plan, 260 Vande Bharat sleeper coaches will be manufactured by various companies and production units. India Earth Movers Limited (BEML) will be tasked with manufacturing the first 10 sets, consisting of 16 coaches each. Chennai Integral Coach Factory (ICF) will produce 50 sets. The 24-coach sets from ICF will also include a restaurant coach, for which production drawings have already been prepared. According to officials, RVNL and the Russian company Transmashholding (TMH) will manufacture 120 sets through the joint venture Kinet Railway Solutions. All these sets will be built in Latur, and each train will consist of 16 coaches. RVNL has reported that production has begun. At the 23rd annual general meeting, Chairman Salim Ahmed noted that the prototype manufacturing deadline was changed: it was originally planned for June 2026 but has now been extended to March 31, 2027.

Preparations for the launch of India's first high-speed railway are actively continuing, and work on the railway stations being built for this project is progressing at a high speed. The Ministry of Railways and the Railway Minister regularly publish updates on this topic on social media platforms such as Twitter (now X).

The Ministry of Railways shared a video demonstrating the progress of work at the railway station and on the track itself in the Vapi-Surat section. This video quickly went viral. The video clearly shows that to ensure high train speeds on this high-speed route, work is underway to lay tunnels through mountains, install the railway track over a river, and carry out electrification work at a military level. Furthermore, the railways showed preliminary footage of the multi-story station for the high-speed train.

Construction of the Vapi-Surat section is proceeding very rapidly. The Railway Minister indicated that the first high-speed railway may begin operating on tracks possibly as early as August 15 of next year. This will be the country's first high-speed train to operate on the 508-kilometer Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor. Of this corridor, 348 kilometers pass through Gujarat, and the Vapi-Surat section shown by the Ministry of Railways accounts for about 100 kilometers.

Although the entire 508-kilometer Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor includes a certain number of stops, 12 stops were planned for this segment. The first high-speed train station is located in Sabarmati, and the last one is in Mumbai. In addition to Sabarmati and Mumbai (BKC), the list includes towns such as Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, and Ahmedabad.

When the high-speed train reaches its full operational speed, it will travel at 320 kilometers per hour. However, between Ahmedabad and Mumbai, the average speed of the high-speed train is expected to be around 300 kilometers per hour next year. Previously, the journey between Mumbai and Ahmedabad on the fastest trains took approximately 6 hours. After the high-speed train launches, this time will be reduced to just 2 hours. This will not only save valuable passenger time but also boost trade activity between the two states.