First Vande Bharat sleeper prototype expected this financial year: Rail body

The company had earlier set a deadline of June 2026 to come out with the first prototype, however, it has now extended the deadline till March 31 next year.RVNL has established five Joint Venture Special Purpose Vehicles for rail connectivity projects.Manufacturing work is progressing at the upgraded Marathwada Rail Coach Factory in Latur, with the first prototype of the Vande Bharat sleeper train expected to roll out during the current financial year, Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) Chairman and Managing Director Saleem Ahmad said.Ahmad shared the update at RVNL's 23rd annual general meeting on Tuesday, according to a company statement.RVNL and Russian firm Transmashholding (TMH) have formed Kinet Railway Solutions Ltd, an Indo-Russian joint venture tasked with manufacturing 120 Vande Bharat sleeper trainsets, each comprising 16 coaches, at the Marathwada factory in Maharashtra.The first prototype was earlier scheduled to be ready by June 2026, but the deadline has now been extended to March 31 next year. Besides the Vande Bharat sleeper project, Ahmad highlighted RVNL's evolving business profile, including a rebalancing of its order book, entry into rolling stock manufacturing, execution of large-scale telecommunications infrastructure projects and expansion into projects secured through competitive bidding."Over the years, RVNL has built strong capabilities in complex rail infrastructure with a presence across 16 states and an expanding international footprint," Ahmad said. The company has commissioned and handed over 158 projects to Indian Railways, covering new lines, gauge conversion, doubling, railway electrification, workshops and other critical infrastructure. These projects have contributed to the creation of more than 17,000 km of rail infrastructure, he said.Highlighting RVNL's achievements during financial year 2025-26, Ahmad said the company commissioned and handed over 173.82 km of railway infrastructure to Indian Railways, including the 150.28-km Phephna-Indara-Mau-Shahganj section, helping improve the safety, speed and efficiency of train operations.RVNL also commissioned 173 km of railway electrification, along with four traction substations, eight switching posts and 12 SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems as part of doubling and third-line projects, he said.The company also continued work in challenging terrain and complex geological conditions, completing 23 km of tunnel excavation during FY2025-26, Ahmad said.He added that significant progress was made on major hill railway projects across Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.RVNL also commissioned 19 workshop projects during the year. Significant progress was recorded at the Kazipet Wagon Periodic Overhauling (POH) workshop and the Vadodara POH shop for electric locomotives, both of which are scheduled for commissioning during the current financial year.The company has also established five joint venture special purpose vehicles for rail connectivity projects, Ahmad said.- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Aug 26, 2026 22:15 IST