INDIA: Railway Supply reported in January that ICF’s 24-coach Vande Bharat Sleeper was still on the drawing board; seven months later, the drawings are finished, and the factory’s general manager says manufacturing is next.

India’s 16-coach Vande Bharat Sleeper for the Howrah–Kamakhya route
The 16-coach Vande Bharat Sleeper serving the Howrah–Kamakhya route. Illustrative photo. Photo: Press Information Bureau / Ministry of Railways, Government of India.

ICF General Manager Manish Agarwal confirmed production drawings covering the coach structure, coach-to-coach interfaces and underframe equipment are ready, speaking at Independence Day celebrations on Aug. 15, according to Swarajya. “Production of the 24-car Vande Bharat Sleeper trainset will begin soon,” Agarwal said.

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What hasn’t changed since January

The coach composition remains as previously reported: 17 AC 3-Tier coaches, five AC 2-Tier coaches, one AC First Class coach and a dedicated AC pantry car, for a total of 1,224 berths — 401 more than the 823-berth, 16-coach configuration currently in service. Chennai’s Integral Coach Factory is still expected to manufacture 50 of the 24-coach trainsets, designed for a maximum operating speed of 160 km/h.

The context Agarwal cited

The expansion follows the successful launch of India’s first 16-coach Vande Bharat Sleeper service between Howrah and Kamakhya in January 2026. The announcement does not specify a firm start date for production or when the first 24-coach prototype will roll out — only that drawings are complete and manufacturing is expected imminently.

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