Demand grows for early rollout of Bengaluru – Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper as trainsets await clearance

The long-awaited launch of the proposed Bengaluru – Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper service has once again come into focus, with railway passenger groups calling on the Union government to expedite the introduction of the premium overnight train.

Adding to the anticipation, two Vande Bharat Sleeper trainsets intended for the proposed service are currently stationed at the Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna (KSR) Bengaluru City Railway Station. The trainsets, built by BEML, have been moved to the coaching yard, where they are undergoing preliminary inspections and other pre-commissioning checks before entering passenger service.

Despite the arrival of the rakes in Bengaluru, railway officials indicated that a few procedural matters are still pending before the trains can be introduced.

Not handed over yet

Officials from the South Western Railway (SWR) said the trainsets have not yet been formally handed over to the Indian Railways by BEML, and therefore cannot be commissioned for commercial operations at this stage.

“The Vande Bharat Sleeper trainsets presently stationed at KSR Bengaluru City Railway Station are yet to be officially handed over by BEML to the Indian Railways. Until the formal transfer process is completed and all the mandatory technical and operational clearances are obtained, the trains cannot be inducted into regular passenger service. In addition, the final decision on the routes these trainsets will operate is still under consideration,” SWR officials said.

Railway officials said that the final operating corridor for the two trainsets has not yet been confirmed. However, the proposed Bengaluru – Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper is expected to run via Solapur and Kalaburagi, bringing down the travel time between the two cities to nearly 15 hours, considerably faster than many existing overnight services.

Earlier, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had indicated that the Bengaluru – Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper service was expected to be introduced soon. The train is expected to provide a faster and more comfortable overnight travel option, strengthening rail connectivity between Karnataka and Maharashtra while benefiting passengers travelling from both the southern and northern parts of the State.

Concern over delay

Railway activists, however, have expressed concern over the delay in the rollout.

K.N. Krishna Prasad, a railway activist and the founder of the Karnataka Railway Vedike, said that passengers have been eagerly waiting for the announcement to translate into reality. “For several months, people have been hearing that the Bengaluru – Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper is on the verge of launch, yet there has been no concrete progress. Once a new service is announced and the trainsets are ready, the process should move forward without prolonged delays.”

“Every postponement creates uncertainty among passengers who are looking forward to a faster overnight connection, and it weakens public confidence in such announcements. We hope the remaining formalities are completed quickly so the service can begin at the earliest,” he added.

Nearly six years after the introduction of India’s first Vande Bharat Express in 2019, the country’s first commercial Vande Bharat Sleeper service commenced operations on January 22, 2026. Operated by the Northeast Frontier Railway, the inaugural train connects Kamakhya (Guwahati) and Howrah, covering a distance of about 972 km in nearly 14 hours.

The Vande Bharat Sleeper has been developed for overnight travel on routes spanning 800 km to 1,200 km. Over time, it is expected to replace conventional premium long-distance trains, including the Rajdhani Express, on selected corridors by offering faster journeys and upgraded onboard comfort.

Each 16-coach Vande Bharat Sleeper train consists of 11 Third AC (3AC) coaches, four Second AC (2AC) coaches and one First AC (1AC) coach, with a total carrying capacity of 823 passengers. The seating capacity includes 611 berths in 3AC, 188 in 2AC, and 24 in 1AC.

The fully air-conditioned train is equipped with several modern features to improve passenger convenience and safety. These include automatic sliding doors, CCTV surveillance, bio-vacuum toilets, sensor-operated water taps, individual reading lights, mobile charging points, digital passenger information displays, and onboard catering services offering both vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals.

For enhanced operational safety, the train is fitted with the indigenous Kavach automatic train protection system, emergency talk-back communication facilities, and fully air-conditioned driver cabins with dedicated washrooms, making it one of the most technologically advanced overnight trains introduced by the Indian Railways.