Modern Coaches, New Routes: From Vande Bharat Sleeper To Metro Expansion, India's Transit Revolution In 2024

In 2024, Indian Railways (IR) introduced the Amrit Bharat Express services, featuring state-of-the-art technology and advanced amenities designed to enhance passenger comfort and safety. These trains are equipped with semi-permanent couplers for jerk-free travel, horizontal sliding windows, foldable snack tables, bottle holders, mobile holders, and other passenger-friendly features. The Amrit Bharat Express offers improved facilities, including attractive and ergonomic seating, enhanced luggage racks, mobile charging points with dedicated holders, LED lighting, CCTV surveillance, and a public information system. Currently, four Amrit Bharat trains are in operation, including the 15557/58 Darbhanga–Anand Vihar (T) Express and the 13433/34 Malda Town–Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminus (Bengaluru) Express.

Indian Railways has introduced the Vande Bharat sleeper train, a milestone in modern rail travel, equipped with cutting-edge amenities and safety features. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inspected the sleeper coach at the BEML facility in Bengaluru, announcing its readiness for passenger operations by December following a two-month testing period. The sleeper train boasts a range of passenger-friendly features, including integrated reading lights with USB charging, specially designed berths and accessible toilets for differently-abled passengers, modular pantries, and advanced public announcement and visual information systems. Passengers can look forward to enhanced comfort with extra-cushioned berths, redesigned ladders for easier access to upper berths, and more spacious luggage storage areas, all crafted to ensure a convenient and enjoyable travel experience.

Chennai Metro received 36 made-in-India Metropolis metro trains for Chennai Metro Phase II from Alstom. These three-car trains will run on the 26 km Poonamallee Bypass to Light House corridor. Equipped with Automatic Train Operation (ATO) and Automatic Train Protection (ATP), these metro trains are engineered and designed to operate driverless with Unattended Train Operations (UTO). They offer a speed of 90 km/h and an operational speed of 80 km/h. 

Mumbai Metro's Aqua Line was also inaugurated this year and features Alstom's India-made driverless Metropolis trains and signaling solutions. The 33.5 km line, one of India's longest underground stretches, connects Bandra Kurla Complex to Aarey JVLR and is expected to serve over 1.6 million passengers daily. The Mumbai Metro has received 31 eight-car trains equipped with advanced safety features such as face recognition CCTV and fire extinguishers, prioritizing accessibility and high passenger capacity.

Alstom delivered the first of 52 Metropolis metro trainsets for Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Phase IV. Manufactured in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh, under the 'Make in India' initiative, the €312 million project covers three lines: extensions of Line 7 and Line 8, and the new 64.67 km Gold Line 10 connecting Aerocity to Tughlakabad. These six-car trains are designed for a safe speed of 95 km/h and an operational speed of 85 km/h, featuring Grade of Automation (GOA) 4 driverless technology.

In June this year, the first Metropolis metro train for Pune Metro Line 3 was delivered. These 100% made-in-India trains, with an operational speed of 85 km/h and a design speed of 95 km/h, will connect Hinjewadi's IT hub with Shivajinagar's central business district. The 23 km elevated Line 3 is a public-private partnership (PPP) project undertaken by Tata Group and PMRDA, with Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited as the special-purpose vehicle. Alstom, in a joint venture with TRIL Urban Transport and Siemens Project Ventures, is responsible for rolling stock, electrical, and mechanical systems under a design, build, finance, operate, and transfer (DBFOT) model. A total of 22 three-car Metropolis trainsets are also in the pipeline.

Agra's metro service commenced operation with new Movia metro trains, featuring the advanced Cityflo 650 signaling solution. Designed in Hyderabad and manufactured at the Savli plant of Alstom under the 'Make in India' initiative, these trains prioritize energy efficiency through regenerative braking and modern propulsion systems. This project follows the successful delivery of 26 trainsets to Agra and Kanpur, with each train accommodating 960 passengers. Alstom's scope includes delivering 201 metro cars and equipping Agra's two corridors with the CBTC solution.

 

The first indigenously manufactured trainset for the Meerut Metro was delivered to NCRTC earlier this year. Part of a 2020 contract for 210 cars for the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), the train was manufactured at Alstom's Savli, Gujarat facility. The Meerut Metro, a 25 km urban MRTS, will connect Partapur to Modipuram, with three stations providing connectivity to the Delhi-Meerut RRTS. Alstom is supplying 30 coaches configured as ten three-car trainsets based on its Adessia commuter train family.