Indian Railways News: Jharkhand’s Tatanagar is likely to get two new Sleeper Vande Bharat Express trains, a move expected to significantly improve long-distance rail connectivity to Mumbai and Varanasi
while enhancing passenger comfort.
According to a report in Avenue Mail, the South Eastern Railway (SER) has accelerated the proposal by sending a detailed plan from its Garden Reach headquarters to the Railway Board on June 11. The proposal is currently awaiting approval.
Proposed Routes To Mumbai And Varanasi
The first proposed Sleeper Vande Bharat Express will operate between Shalimar in West Bengal and Mumbai, passing through the key railway junctions of Tatanagar and Chakradharpur in Jharkhand.
If approved by the Railway Board, the service is expected to provide a faster, safer and more comfortable travel option for passengers travelling to Maharashtra. The train will pass through Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh, improving interstate connectivity between eastern and western India.
The second proposed service is the Tatanagar–Varanasi Sleeper Vande Bharat Express. The project was first proposed in 2024 to improve connectivity for passengers travelling across Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
However, the proposal was delayed due to the lack of adequate maintenance infrastructure at Tatanagar station. Local MP Bidyut Baran Mahato has been consistently urging the Railways to operationalise the route, citing its importance for the region.
New Coaching Depot Planned
To support the operation of additional Sleeper Vande Bharat trains, the South Eastern Railway plans to invest Rs 283 crore in a new state-of-the-art coaching depot at Tatanagar.
At present, the station depends on a single upgraded washing line, which was modernised in August 2024, for the cleaning, repair and routine maintenance of its existing Vande Bharat trains.
Officials said the proposed coaching depot, along with the ongoing redevelopment of Tatanagar station, is expected to remove the existing maintenance constraints and enable the station to handle multiple high-speed train services.
Tatanagar’s Expanding Vande Bharat Network
According to the report, if both proposals receive approval, Tatanagar will become one of the major Vande Bharat hubs in eastern India, with five Vande Bharat train connections.
At present, Tatanagar has direct Vande Bharat services to Patna and Berhampur. In addition, the Ranchi-Howrah and Rourkela-Howrah Vande Bharat Express trains pass through Tatanagar six days a week.
Railway officials said Vande Bharat trains have quickly become a preferred choice among passengers despite their comparatively higher fares, owing to their high speed, modern amenities, improved safety features, cleanliness and overall passenger comfort.
Officials believe the proposed Sleeper Vande Bharat trains are also likely to witness strong demand once they receive approval from the Railway Board, particularly among passengers travelling on long-distance routes.
