NEW DELHI: The introduction of Vande Bharat trains rolled the red carpet for Indian railways to join the class of impeccable train service seen in foreign countries. With the initiative witnessing overnight success, railways also introduced Vande Bharat Metro and Vande Bharat Sleeper trains. The Vande Bharat train introduced in Kerala has always been at the top in occupancy rates.

Throughout the country, the elite trains are minting profits but it is also vital to take account of some services that never came out from the dull days. The touted Mangaluru-Goa Vande Bharat is often seen running with empty coaches. Recently, Vande Bharat trains with 20 coaches also hit the tracks. These trains were introduced on routes with high passenger traffic.

Despite the convenience, time-saving and safety, commoners are still apprehensive about spending big money on travel. One example is the Nagpur-Secunderabad Vande Bharat Express under the Central Railway. Railways is planning to reduce the number of coaches of Vande Bharat running through these routes.

The Nagpur-Secunderabad Vande Bharat Express, which started running on 19 September 2024, has never operated with full seats, save a few festival days in Diwali. With the service not bringing the necessary profits to the coffers, the railways have decided to bring an eight-coach rake on these routes.