Context: Recently, the Prime Minister of India inaugurated the new Vande Bharat trainset.
About Vande Bharat 2.0
This train, the third in the Vande Bharat series, is being dubbed ‘Vande Bharat 2.0’, because of certain upgrades it has received over its predecessors, the two existing trains running from Delhi to Varanasi and Katra.
Major upgrades:
This train reaches a top speed of 160 km per hour in 129 seconds, around 16 seconds faster than its predecessor.
This is because this train weighs around 392 tonnes, 38 tonnes lighter than the last one, and needs to run almost a km less to attain its top speed.
It also has a better riding index (lower the better) of 3.26 at 180 km per hour, from the earlier 3.87.
Riding index is a global benchmark for rolling stock calculated during trials by measuring vertical/lateral acceleration.
In layman’s terms, how comfortable and steady the passenger is while the train is in motion is roughly the idea behind a riding index.
Safety features of Vande Bharat 2.0:
The new train comes fitted with the automatic anti-collision system Kavach, which the previous trains did not have.
Coaches have disaster lights and their battery backup is for three hours, increased from the last one’s one-hour battery backup.
The exterior has eight platform-side cameras, up from four.
There is also passenger-guard communication facility in coaches, which comes with automatic voice recording feature.
The new trainset is higher, making it safe from floods up to 650 mm, up from 400 mm.
For passengers:
All the seats are recliner seats, as opposed to the previous versions which had fixed backseats in lower class.
Executive Coaches have the added feature of 180-degree rotating seats.
The internal air is filtered through photo catalytic ultra violet air purification system with UV lamp which deactivates 99 per cent of germs, something the earlier trainsets did not have.
The coaches also have a centralised coach monitoring system through CCTV cameras, and the internal network supports data at 1 gigabyte per second
It also has a WIFI-enabled onboard infotainment system and the LCD display in each coach is now 32 inches, up from the 24-inch screen.
Food
The customised menu for the Vande Bharat is also in sync with the theme of year 2023, which is poised to be celebrated as the International Year of Millets.
Malt beverages for children are being introduced as a service in the premium train.
The usual chocolate bar will be replaced with “Peanut Chikki” with peanuts sourced from local farmers in the “Be Vocal, Go Local ideology”.
