India’s first Vande Bharat maintenance depot under construction in Rajasthan: Indian Railways

Vande Bharat Express

A senior Indian Railways official told ANI on Tuesday that, for the first time in the country, a dedicated maintenance depot for Vande Bharat trains is being built at Bhagat Ki Kothi in the Jodhpur Railway Division. The official also mentioned that while four such depots are planned across India, this is the first one currently under construction.

Jodhpur Divisional Railway Manager Anurag Tripathi said to ANI, "The Vande Bharat maintenance depot being built at Bhagat Ki Kothi in Jodhpur Division is the first of its kind in the country. It will handle maintenance for Vande Bharat trains from across India. Spread over 600 meters, it will have three pit lines to service three trains at once. Four more such depots are planned nationwide, but this is the first under construction."

Tripathi informed that the construction of the maintenance depot is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. He added that a proposal has been submitted to build a workshop and training centre near the depot.

The official said, "Recruitment will happen through the Railway Recruitment Board, followed by training and deployment. We've also proposed a new Rs 200 crore project to build a workshop and training centre near the depot. Once approved, tenders will be floated and work will begin... The maintenance depot is expected to be ready by the end of this year. The workshop and training centre will take longer but will move swiftly once started."

The Vande Bharat Express train has an intelligent braking system which enables better acceleration and deceleration. All coaches are equipped with automatic doors; GPS-based audio-visual passenger information system, on-board hotspot Wi-Fi for entertainment purposes, and very comfortable seating. The executive class also has rotating chairs.

*With ANI Inputs