Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has said that the Vande Metro network, which aims to connect major cities less than 100 kilometres apart, will be launched by December this year. The concept behind the project is that trains can run at a high frequency, making travel comfortable and affordable. The Vande Metro trains are expected to have eight coaches and will reduce congestion in local trains. The project will also reduce travel time for students and job seekers. Officials have already received orders to roll out the metro as soon as possible.
The Railways Minister also revealed details about the High-Speed Test Track which has been constructed for the first time in order to speed up the manufacturing of high-speed trains. The test track will measure stability testing, curve testing, and accelerated testing of components. Work on the test track is progressing at a fast pace and is expected to be completed by December. Vaishnaw predicted that India will soon start exporting its Vande Bharat trains.
