Railway Board clears Punjab-built Alstom-powered Vande Bharat trainset for 160 kmph operation subject to safety conditions

Key facts

• The Railway Board has approved the introduction of a 16-car Vande Bharat Chair Car trainset with an Alstom propulsion system, manufactured at the Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala, for speeds of up to 160 kmph, subject to specified safety and operational conditions.
• The approval follows recommendations and technical clearances from the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) and the Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety (CCRS), and requires compliance with RDSO's Final Speed Certificate dated 21.07.2026.
• The trainset must operate on tracks meeting standards under the Indian Railways Permanent Way Manual (IRPWM), 2024, including track geometry requirements for a maximum speed of 160 kmph.
• The Board asked RDSO and RCF to re-examine the rating of certain equipment, including the traction motor, which is rated at 270 kW compared with 210 kW in the Medha-powered version and 225 kW in the Siemens-powered version.
• The Board raised concerns over single-pole miniature circuit breakers (MCBs) in the Electrical Control Cabinets, which replace the double-pole MCBs used in earlier versions and could make fault tracing difficult, directing correction in the current rake and double-pole MCBs in all future trainsets.
• The Board directed that fire extinguishers be properly secured and equipment cubicle doors locked, and that future production include fire-survival cables for CCTV systems and crash-hardened memory modules.
• The approval lays down maintenance and passenger safety requirements, including emergency training for onboard staff, tools to uncouple the semi-permanent coupler within 15 minutes, a driver's cab locked from inside while running, and pre-recorded passenger safety announcements in three languages.