Construction of Vande Bharat Depot in Gorakhpur Stalled Due to Land Shortage, Railway Administration Faces Challenges

The construction of a depot for the semi-high-speed Vande Bharat train in Gorakhpur is stuck due to land problems. The railway needs land near Bhitni Junction, but available land is limited. The Railway Board has already rejected some land options, including one next to the RPF training center.

Initially, the railway administration looked for land in areas like Maniram, PPGanj, and Nakha Jungle, but those plans didn’t work out. They even considered building the depot at the new washing pit, but that also didn’t get approval due to lack of space. Now, they have once again identified land near the RPF training center, but the board has turned that down as well.

The board mentioned that a minimum of one kilometer of land is needed for the washing pit at the depot. After the proposal for Gorakhpur was rejected, the railway administration started searching for land in Bhitni, but that too is not enough for the depot.

Experts say that the railway administration seems to be losing interest in building the Vande Bharat depot. Though there is available land near major stations like Auindihar and Banaras, the railway is not focusing on those options. If this situation continues, the chance of getting the Vande Bharat depot in the northeastern railway zone may slip away.

A depot is essential for maintaining the Vande Bharat trains, including cleaning and repairs. Currently, two Vande Bharat trains are being serviced at the Gorakhpur new washing pit, but the coaching depot has declined to service a third train. Plans to run more Vande Bharat trains on key routes are in place, as the first train was flagged off by the Prime Minister on July 7, 2023.