Divisional Railway Manager (Jodhpur) Anurag Tripathi.
Indian Railways has set up the country’s first maintenance depot for Vande Bharat Sleeper trains at Bhagat Ki Kothi in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, paving the way for the large-scale induction of the new sleeper variant, officials said.The facility, being developed in collaboration with Rail Vikas Nigam Limited and Kinet Railway Solutions, a Russia-India joint venture, is nearing completion of its first phase at a cost of ₹167 crore. The total project cost is estimated at ₹362 crore after completion of the second phase.Divisional Railway Manager Anurag Tripathi, interacting with a team of journalists from Andhra Pradesh in Jodhpur, said the depot would be critical to meeting the growing demand for Vande Bharat services.“Increase in the number of Vande Bharat Sleeper services is possible only with seamless periodic maintenance infrastructure,” he said.Once fully operational, the depot will be capable of simultaneously maintaining three Vande Bharat Sleeper rakes, each comprising 24 coaches, within six hours. This will enable periodic servicing of 72 coaches in a single shift, significantly enhancing the turnaround capacity for long-distance premium trains.According to Mr. Tripathi, the depot is equipped with advanced technologies for under-gear and upper-gear examination, enabling stringent safety checks, primary maintenance and faster pit-line operations. Special emphasis has been placed on sourcing spares and equipment from Indian manufacturers, giving a boost to the Make in India initiative.Jodhpur, one of the largest divisions of North Western Railway, has 1,625 route kilometres. Infrastructure is also being augmented at Barmer and Jaisalmer, where new coaching depots are under development, Mr. Tripathi said.The division is also witnessing significant private investment in freight infrastructure and station redevelopment. At least eight new private sidings, each involving an investment of ₹3,000 crore to ₹4,000 crore, are in the pipeline. Together, these projects could attract private investment of ₹24,000 crore to ₹32,000 crore.Besides, 15 stations are being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. Three major stations — Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Pali — are being upgraded at a combined cost of more than ₹1,000 crore. Published - August 24, 2026 06:49 pm IST
