Tatanagar set to receive two new sleeper Vande Bharat trains
Pioneer News Service
Jamshedpur
Tatanagar is set to receive a major boost in rail connectivity with the proposed introduction of two Sleeper Vande Bharat Express trains connecting the city to Mumbai and Varanasi. The South Eastern Railway (SER) has expedited the proposal, forwarding it to the Railway Board from its Garden Reach headquarters on June 11.
The first proposed service will run between Shalimar and Mumbai via Tatanagar and Chakradharpur, providing a faster and more comfortable travel option to Maharashtra through Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
The second proposed route will connect Tatanagar with Varanasi. Originally planned in 2024, the project was delayed due to the lack of adequate maintenance infrastructure at Tatanagar. Local MP Bidyut Baran Mahato has been pursuing the project, highlighting its importance for passengers travelling across Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
To support the operation of the sleeper trains, SER has proposed investing ₹283 crore in a modern coaching depot at Tatanagar. The facility will strengthen maintenance capabilities and complement the ongoing station redevelopment project.
At present, Tatanagar has one upgraded washing line for maintaining its existing Vande Bharat trains. The new depot is expected to remove infrastructure constraints and pave the way for additional high-speed services.
Tatanagar currently operates Vande Bharat trains to Patna and Berhampur, while the Ranchi–Howrah and Rourkela–Howrah services also pass through the station. If approved, the two new sleeper trains will make Tatanagar an even more important railway hub in eastern India and expand its Vande Bharat network to five routes.
