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Amrit Bharat 2.0, train to Kashmir, Kavach to be among highlights for Railways in Budget

Amrit Bharat trainsets have a total of 22 coach with locomotives on both ends. These trains have a provision for dining car and with sleeper facilities.

The train will also have modern passenger amenities such as foldable snack table, mobile holder, foldable bottle holder, and more such facilities. (X/ @AshwiniVaishnaw)

The new Amrit Bharat Express trains, which aim to provide upgraded facilities at cheaper rates to people travelling in general and sleeper classes, are likely to find a mention in the upcoming Union Budget speech. An around 15 per cent hike for the Ministry of Railways is likely in the upcoming Budget, with much of it directed at boosting infrastructure projects.

Officials said that completion of the ambitious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) in Kashmir, station development under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, train protection system Kavach 4.0, higher capital expenditure on safety, etc., will be among the other key highlights for the Railways in the Budget this year.

“For the current financial year 2024-25, we got the budgetary support of Rs. 2.52 lakh crore. For the next FY 2025-26, we are expecting a rise of around 15 per cent in the upcoming Budget. It will boost our series of infrastructure projects,” said a senior official of the Ministry of Railways.

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Amrit Bharat trainsets have a total of 22 coach with locomotives on both ends. These trains have a provision for dining car and with sleeper facilities. Currently, there are two Amrit Bharat Express trains in service — one between Darbhanga and Anand Vihar Terminal and the second train is running between Malda Town and Bengaluru.

Government is looking to manufacture 50 Amrit Bharat 2.0 version trains with improved features of passenger comfort and safety in next two years. A total of 25 Amrit Bharat trains will be manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai and remaining 25 trains will be supplied by the Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala.

Officials said that Amrit Bharat Express trains will have semi-automatic couplers instead of semi-permanent ones for easy attachment and detachment of coaches, vacuum evacuation system similar to Vande Bharat Express trains, toilets built using Sheet Metal Compound (SMC) material, On-Board Condition Monitoring system (OBCMS), crashworthy features such as crash tubes in the coupler, quick brake application system, etc.

The train will also have modern passenger amenities such as foldable snack table, mobile holder, foldable bottle holder, improved seats and berths, Radium illuminated flooring strip, Tejas type Gangway, two Indian-two Western style toilets in each coach, automatic hygiene odour control system, automatic-soap dispenser, streamlined-LED light fitting, one Divyangjan toilet in Sleeper coach, etc.

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Out of the 22 coaches in an Amrit Bharat Express, eight coaches will be sleeper, 11 unreserved or general coaches and two Second Class Luggage Rake for Disabled (SLRD) and one pantry.

Dheeraj Mishra

Dheeraj Mishra is a Principal correspondent with The Indian Express, Business Bureau. He covers India’s two key ministries- Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Road Transport & Highways. He frequently uses the Right to Information (RTI) Act for his stories, which have resulted in many impactful reports. ... Read More

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