India’s long-distance rail travel is poised for a major transformation as prototype assembly for the highly anticipated Vande Bharat sleeper coaches gets underway in Latur. Assembly of prototype trainsets is actively progressing at Kinet Railway Solutions’ state-of-the-art facility in Latur. Following successful completion, rigorous testing and acceptance by Indian Railways, full serial production is expected to commence soon. Over 30 Russian specialists and designers are working on the project alongside Indian engineers. Spearheaded by Kinet Railway Solutions, an Indo-Russian joint venture between international rolling-stock experts and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), the project marks one of the largest initiatives in country’s rail modernization drive.

 

Under a massive $6.5 billion contract awarded in March 2023, Kinet is tasked with designing and manufacturing 120 Vande Bharat Sleeper trainsets (comprising 1,920 railcars), as well as providing 35 years of comprehensive fleet maintenance. Managing Director of Kinet Railway Solutions K Sathyamurthy, while interacting with the media persons on Wednesday, said that the train features a striking aerodynamic front nose and a bold orange, black, and silver exterior livery bearing the official “Make in India” emblem. Designed specifically for overnight journeys, the layout offers comprehensive sleeper accommodations divided across AC first class (AC I), AC two-tier (AC II), and AC three-tier (AC III) configurations.

 

The interior design prioritises passenger comfort, incorporating ergonomically styled berths, integrated fold-out cup holders, warm ambient lighting, secure ladders for upper-berth access, and private seating alcoves. To ensure smooth travel quality at top speeds, the train utilises advanced suspension and a jerk limit restricted to less than 0.7 m/s3. Production team at Kinet facilities is assembling the stainless-steel coach body shells, installing specialised floor systems, and carrying out overhead infrastructure work. Once fully deployed on the Indian Railways rail network, these sleeper train sets aim to drastically reduce travel times between major metropolitan centers while setting a new standard for modern rail transit. Spread across 351 acres featuring 6 workshops and 8.6 km of internal test tracks, the Latur plant is also driving regional growth, said K Sathyamurthy. “Aligning with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047, Kinet Railway Solutions is turning a regional agricultural belt into an advanced manufacturing powerhouse while shaping the next chapter of Indian passenger rail. About 60 per cent of workforce recruitment is sourced directly from Latur and surrounding areas,” K Sathyamurthy highlighted.