Indian Railways Expands Vande Bharat Capacity on 7 Routes

02 Sep 2025 CW Team

Routes receiving coach upgrades include:

16 to 20 coaches:

Mangaluru Central–Thiruvananthapuram Central, Secunderabad–Tirupati, and Chennai Egmore–Tirunelveli.

8 to 16 coaches:

Madurai–Bengaluru Cantonment, Deoghar–Varanasi, Howrah–Rourkela, and Indore–Nagpur.

The move follows impressive ridership figures—occupancy rates stood at over 102 per cent in FY 2024–25 and exceeded 105 per cent in the current financial year through June. According to Dilip Kumar, Executive Director (Information and Publicity), Railway Board, “Based on current data, three 16-coach trains will be upgraded to 20 coaches and four 8-coach services will be doubled to 16.”

Railway officials have confirmed that new 20-coach rakes are being prepared, while released rakes from the upgraded trains will be redeployed to serve additional routes.

Meanwhile, on 26 August, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis flagged off the new Nanded–Mumbai Vande Bharat Express via video link. Describing the service as a “gateway to prosperity” for the Marathwada region, Fadnavis highlighted the significance of Nanded as a major Sikh pilgrimage destination.

The train, which departed Hazur Sahib Nanded at 11.20 am and is scheduled to reach Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in south Mumbai by 9.55 pm, will reduce journey times by approximately two hours compared to existing trains. Officials noted that the route also connects other prominent religious and heritage sites, including the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga, Shirdi Sai Baba temple, and the Ajanta–Ellora caves.

The Nanded service is part of Indian Railways' broader strategy to expand high-speed, comfortable, and efficient rail travel while supporting tourism, regional development, and sustainable transport solutions.

In response to rising passenger demand, Indian Railways is expanding capacity on seven high-traffic Vande Bharat routes by upgrading the number of coaches. The Railway Board has approved converting 16-coach trains to 20-coach formations and doubling 8-coach trains to 16 coaches, based on occupancy and feasibility studies through mid-2025.Routes receiving coach upgrades include:16 to 20 coaches:Mangaluru Central–Thiruvananthapuram Central, Secunderabad–Tirupati, and Chennai Egmore–Tirunelveli.8 to 16 coaches:Madurai–Bengaluru Cantonment, Deoghar–Varanasi, Howrah–Rourkela, and Indore–Nagpur.The move follows impressive ridership figures—occupancy rates stood at over 102 per cent in FY 2024–25 and exceeded 105 per cent in the current financial year through June. According to Dilip Kumar, Executive Director (Information and Publicity), Railway Board, “Based on current data, three 16-coach trains will be upgraded to 20 coaches and four 8-coach services will be doubled to 16.”Railway officials have confirmed that new 20-coach rakes are being prepared, while released rakes from the upgraded trains will be redeployed to serve additional routes.Meanwhile, on 26 August, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis flagged off the new Nanded–Mumbai Vande Bharat Express via video link. Describing the service as a “gateway to prosperity” for the Marathwada region, Fadnavis highlighted the significance of Nanded as a major Sikh pilgrimage destination.The train, which departed Hazur Sahib Nanded at 11.20 am and is scheduled to reach Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in south Mumbai by 9.55 pm, will reduce journey times by approximately two hours compared to existing trains. Officials noted that the route also connects other prominent religious and heritage sites, including the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga, Shirdi Sai Baba temple, and the Ajanta–Ellora caves.The Nanded service is part of Indian Railways' broader strategy to expand high-speed, comfortable, and efficient rail travel while supporting tourism, regional development, and sustainable transport solutions.

Infrastructure Urban

05 Nov 2025

TBO Tek Q2 Profit Climbs 12%, Revenue Surges 26% YoY

TBO Tek Limited one of the world’s largest travel distribution platforms, reported a solid performance for Q2 FY26 with a 26 per cent year-on-year increase in revenue to Rs 5.68 billion, reflecting broad-based growth and improving profitability.The company recorded a Gross Transaction Value (GTV) of Rs 8,901 crore, up 12 per cent YoY, driven by strong performance across Europe, MEA, and APAC regions. Adjusted EBITDA before acquisition-related costs stood at Rs 1.04 billion, up 16 per cent YoY, translating into an 18.32 per cent margin compared to 16.56 per cent in Q1 FY26. Profit after tax r..

Infrastructure Energy

05 Nov 2025

Northern Graphite, Rain Carbon Secure R&D Grant for Greener Battery Materials

Northern Graphite Corporation and Rain Carbon Canada Inc, a subsidiary of Rain Carbon Inc, have jointly received up to C$860,000 (€530,000) in funding under the Canada–Germany Collaborative Industrial Research and Development Programme to develop sustainable battery anode materials.The two-year, C$2.2 million project aims to transform natural graphite processing by-products into high-performance, battery-grade anode material (BAM). Supported by the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Programme (NRC IRAP) and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs a..

Infrastructure Urban

05 Nov 2025

Antony Waste Q2 Revenue Jumps 16%; Subsidiary Wins Rs 3,200 Cr WtE Projects

Antony Waste Handling Cell Limited (AWHCL), a leading player in India’s municipal solid waste management sector, announced a 16 per cent year-on-year increase in total operating revenue to Rs 2.33 billion for Q2 FY26. The growth was driven by higher waste volumes, escalated contracts, and strong operational execution.EBITDA rose 18 per cent to Rs 570 million, with margins steady at 21.6 per cent, while profit after tax stood at Rs 173 million, up 13 per cent YoY. Revenue from Municipal Solid Waste Collection and Transportation (MSW C&T) reached Rs 1.605 billion, and MSW Processing re..