India’s Railway Board has granted conditional Vande Bharat approval for the first 16-coach chair car train built by Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala, while directing authorities to correct several technical and safety deficiencies.
Key Takeaways
- The train is approved for operation at 160 kmph, but network restrictions limit it to 130 kmph, an official said.
- The board flagged problems with electrical fault tracing, the driver’s touchscreen and fire-extinguisher covers.
- Railway authorities were asked to examine whether the train’s traction motor rating is technically justified.
Vande Bharat approval and operating limits
The train is the first Vande Bharat chair car built by Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala, and uses an Alstom propulsion system. Officials said all Vande Bharat chair cars currently in operation were built by Integral Coach Factory in Chennai.
Although the Railway Board approved operation at 160 kmph, a senior zonal official said the train cannot exceed 130 kmph because of speed restrictions imposed across the rail network.
Electrical and driver-display issues
In a letter dated October 23, 2026, the board said single-pole MCBs in the electrical control cabinets could make faults difficult to trace. Earlier Vande Bharat chair car versions used double-pole MCBs. The board directed that the issue be corrected on this train and that future trainsets use double-pole MCBs.
The board also requested identification labels showing which equipment each MCB controls. It said the driver display touchscreen had poor touch sensitivity and was difficult for the loco pilot to operate.
Fire equipment and motor rating
The board said acrylic doors covering fire extinguishers were loosely secured and needed to be properly secured.
It also asked RCF and the Research Designs and Standards Organisation to examine the train’s 270 kW traction motor rating. The board noted that corresponding ratings for trains from other suppliers were 210 kW for Medha and 225 kW for Siemens.
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