- Recently,the production of India’s first semi high-speed train called as Vande Bharat Express(Train 18) has been stopped at the Integral Coach Factory(ICF) in Chennai.
- The reason is that the design of the Train has been found to be violative of certain specifications.
- The primary issue was that making of Train had dozens of deviations from the specifications prescribed by Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO).
- Further,investigation is also going on into the allegations that one company was favoured in the making of the Train 18.
- Train 18 is India’s first indigenously built engineless train capable of running at a speed of up to 160 kmph,It is also being referred to as a successor to the 30-year-old Shatabdi Express.
- The fully air-conditioned semi-high speed train will cut travel time by 15% as compared to the Shatabdi.It has been manufactured under ‘Make in India’ initiative by the Integral Coach Factory(ICF).
- The features of the train include (a)modern air-conditioned coaches (b) touch free automatic doors (c) GPS-enabled passenger information system and (d) onboard uninterrupted Wifi and infotainment system.
