Residents of large cities such as Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata have been able to travel seamlessly on a daily basis thanks to local and metro rail networks. After state capitals such as Lucknow and Bengaluru, now Indore, Bhopal and Varanasi are also set to receive metro rail connectivity, with a surge in urban population.
In order to reduce congestion in suburban rail networks such as the one in Mumbai, Indian Railways is planning a Vande Metro service for shorter distances.
Faster more comfortable locals?
The local version of Vande Bharat is being developed to carry passengers for a distance less than 100 kilometres, at a higher frequency of four to five times a day.
Apart from introducing additional trains, the upgraded Vande Bharat coaches will also provide more comfort for suburban commuters, including students and professionals.
Larger metro cities such as Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Delhi will get Vande Metros for connecting suburbs.
Smaller cities will also benefit
At the same time, smaller cities such as Kanpur and Barabanki will be connected to Lucknow, and Pune, Hyderabad as well as the Pernem-Karwar route in Goa will also get Vande Metro.
The announcement comes shortly after plans for sleeper versions of the Vande Bharat Express, as 80 trains worth Rs 120 crore each will be supplied by BHEL in 72 months.
