Vande Bharat train: From near scrapping in 2017 to Indian Railways’ modernization icon

Vande Bharat, the indigenous semi-high-speed train, has travelled a long way — from being almost scrapped in 2017, to becoming the poster boy of Indian Railways’ modernisation. It is set to offer manufacturing opportunities of up to Rs 2 lakh crore by 2030

Vande Bharat, the indigenous semi-high-speed train, has travelled a long way

On a sunny afternoon in March 2017, Sudhanshu Mani—then General Manager at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai—received a call informing him that the Railway Board was turning down the ICF’s proposal to manufacture indigenous semi-high-speed trains. The ICF had asked for a go-ahead to design and make two such trains.