The South Eastern Railway (SER) has officially submitted a proposal to the Railway Board to introduce two premium Vande Bharat sleeper express trains originating from Tatanagar. Aimed at bolstering long-distance connectivity, these services seek to link the industrial hub of Tatanagar with major destinations in Mumbai and Varanasi. The proposal, dispatched from the Garden Reach headquarters on June 11, follows persistent advocacy by local Member of Parliament Bidyut Baran Mahto, particularly for the Varanasi connectivity.
- Proposed Routes: A Shalimar-Mumbai Vande Bharat sleeper service (via Tatanagar and Chakradharpur) and a direct Tatanagar-Varanasi sleeper service.
- Infrastructure Upgrade: A new state-of-the-art coaching depot is planned for Tatanagar at an estimated cost of 283 crore rupees.
- Strategic Connectivity: The new services will pass through Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh.
- Timeline: While official dates are pending, reports indicate the Tatanagar-Varanasi service could potentially commence by July 2025.
Infrastructure Boost for Tatanagar
Previously, plans for a Tatanagar-Varanasi sleeper service were stalled in 2024 due to a lack of specialized maintenance infrastructure. To overcome this, the Railway Board is focusing on the construction of a modern coaching depot. This facility is expected to resolve maintenance bottlenecks and ensure the safe operation of high-speed sleeper rakes. Once completed, this infrastructure will cement Tatanagar’s position as a major railway hub in Eastern India.
Expanding the Vande Bharat Network
Currently, Tatanagar is already well-integrated into the Vande Bharat network. It hosts services to Patna and Brahmapur, while the Ranchi-Howrah and Rourkela-Howrah Vande Bharat trains provide connectivity to the region six days a week. With the addition of these two new sleeper routes, Tatanagar is set to become a central node for five Vande Bharat services. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has previously emphasized that the state of Jharkhand is a priority for the expansion of the Vande Bharat fleet, promising improved travel comfort and reduced journey times for thousands of daily passengers.