India's First Vande Bharat Maintenance Depot Being Built In Rajasthan

India’s first Vande Bharat train maintenance depot is being built at Bhagat Ki Kothi, Jodhpur, with completion expected by 2025 and plans for a nearby workshop and training centre.

By : ANI | Updated at : 03 Jun 2025 03:22 PM (IST)

Source : PTI

A maintenance depot for Vande Bharat trains is being constructed at Bhagat Ki Kothi in the Jodhpur Railway Division and is the first of its kind in the country, said a senior railway officer on Tuesday. The official further added that four such depots have been planned nationwide, but this is the first one which is under construction.

Speaking about the project, Jodhpur Divisional Railway Manager Anurag Tripathi said, "The Vande Bharat maintenance depot being built at Bhagat Ki Kothi in Jodhpur Division is the first of its kind in the country. It will handle maintenance for Vande Bharat trains from across India. Spread over 600 meters, it will have three pit lines to service three trains at once. Four more such depots are planned nationwide, but this is the first under construction..."

Tripathi informed that the construction of the maintenance depot is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. He added that a proposal has been submitted to build a workshop and training centre near the depot.

The official said, "Recruitment will happen through the Railway Recruitment Board, followed by training and deployment. We've also proposed a new Rs 200 crore project to build a workshop and training centre near the depot. Once approved, tenders will be floated and work will begin... The maintenance depot is expected to be ready by the end of this year... The workshop and training centre will take longer but will move swiftly once started..."

The Vande Bharat Express represents the future of Indian Railways, embodying the country's commitment to innovation, self-reliance, and sustainable development. The first Vande Bharat Express train was flagged off on February 15, 2019, on the New Delhi-Kanpur-Allahabad-Varanasi route, running at a speed of 160 kilometres per hour. This train has been introduced to upgrade maintenance technologies and methodologies and achieve improvement in the productivity and performance of all Railway assets and manpower.