The completion of the trial run of the third rake of the Vande Bharat train and receipt of a green signal from the Railway Safety Commissioner was described as a "proud moment" for Indian Railways by Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
The minister praised the new Vande Bharat express and stated, "We have shown that a fully loaded water glass has not shaken at a speed of 180kmph, but it shook the world," in reference to the ministry's focus on not only producing trains but also maintaining the tracks for running high-speed trains. The minister also announced that now that the trial run of Vande Bharat is complete, serial production of the remaining 72 trains will start soon.
According to the minister, the first generation Vande Bharat trains have a top speed of 160 km/h, can accelerate from 0 to 100 kmph in 54.6 seconds, and have a maximum speed of 180 km/h.
"This indigenously prepared self-propelled train is equipped with improved amenities for an increased passenger travel experience and cutting-edge state-of-the-art safety systems," the Western Railways tweeted to announce the trial's successful conclusion.