.
NEW DELHI: The Indian Railways will next focus on building ‘dedicated passenger corridors’ to cater to the growing passenger demand while increasing the capacity of existing tracks and developing Vande Bharat 4.0 trains, railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Wednesday.He said the dedicated passenger corridors will be designed for a speed of 350 kmph and an operational speed of 320 kmph and will be completely indigenous, providing huge opportunities to Indian players. The minister also warned suppliers and manufacturers against compromising on the quality of products and directed the Railway Board chairman to be ‘ruthless’ in blacklisting and blocking such companies from getting any work in the sector.Addressing industry players after he inaugurated the International Railway Equipment Exhibition, the minister said there are three major focus areas for railways: provide enough service for passengers and their comfort, ensure safety and make the national transporter ready for at least the next 25 years.On the target to have dedicated passenger corridors, Vaishnaw said, “We have to start constructing dedicated passenger corridors because we are 1.4 billion people; the transportation demand is humongous, and we have successful examples of economies of similar nature…These corridors will be equipped with indigenously developed signalling systems and modern Operations Control Centres (OCCs).” He added that such corridors will be constructed across the country, and the target is to develop around 7,000 km of them in the next two decades.While highlighting the success of Vande Bharat trains, he urged the industry and railway engineers to reimagine the indigenous semi-high-speed train. The current Vande Bharat (3.0) is capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 kmph in 52 seconds. “The new version will focus on enhancing toilets, improving seats and elevating the overall workmanship of the coaches. Vande Bharat 4.0 (to be launched in the next 18 months) should be a train so advanced in quality and comfort that countries around the world aspire to adopt it,” the minister said.Vaishnaw urged manufacturers to focus on quality and safety, cautioning that “those who do not improve will lose out”. He directed the Railway Board chairman to carry out strict checks and blacklist those supplying poor quality materials.On the hydrogen-powered train, Vaishnaw said a 2,400-horsepower model has been developed entirely indigenously. “We will not import this technology. We will design it ourselves,” he said.
