India First Vande Bharat Sleeper Maintenance Depot to Open in Jodhpur

India’s first dedicated Vande Bharat Sleeper maintenance depot is taking shape in Jodhpur, positioning Rajasthan as a key hub for India’s next generation of overnight trains. Located at Bhagat Ki Kothi station under North Western Railway, the facility is designed to support faster induction, higher reliability and better turnaround of semi-high-speed sleeper services planned across the country.

Railway officials say the Jodhpur depot will be the country’s first specialised base focused on Vande Bharat Sleeper trainsets, with commissioning targeted in phases through mid-2026. The maintenance-cum-workshop complex is being built at an estimated cost of about ₹360 crore, with modern systems to service both Vande Bharat Sleeper rakes and other long-distance trains using the corridor.

Vande Bharat Sleeper depot at Bhagat Ki Kothi: what is planned

According to North Western Railway officials, the first phase includes a 600‑metre maintenance line capable of handling a 24-coach Vande Bharat Sleeper rake at a time, along with inspection pits, lifting arrangements and washing lines. A second phase will add a shorter 178‑metre workshop line, simulator rooms and dedicated training spaces to familiarise staff with the new trainsets’ high‑tech systems.

North Western Railway’s Senior Divisional Mechanical Engineer (Jodhpur), Major Amit Swamy, described the project as a “state-of-the-art facility” aimed at ensuring smooth operations once more Vande Bharat Sleeper trains enter service. He said the first phase, costing around ₹167 crore, is targeted for readiness by June 2026, while the second, valued near ₹195 crore, is expected by June 2027, subject to civil and systems work progressing on schedule.

How the Jodhpur Vande Bharat Sleeper depot helps Delhi–Jodhpur–Ahmedabad

For passengers on the Delhi–Jodhpur–Ahmedabad axis, a localised maintenance base is expected to cut non-revenue movements and improve punctuality. Today, high-end rakes often need to be sent to distant workshops for heavy checks, tying up slots on busy main lines. With Jodhpur equipped for ground-level access and under-gear work on trainsets, overnight services through Rajasthan, Haryana and Gujarat can be rostered with shorter layovers and less time spent off the grid.

The corridor already hosts Vande Bharat day services between Jodhpur, Delhi Cantonment and Sabarmati, and planners see the sleeper version as a logical extension for late-night and early-morning travellers. Once enough rakes are available, railway officials expect North Western Railway and Northern Railway to explore overnight options that could complement Rajdhani and existing superfast trains, especially during peak tourist and festival seasons when reservation demand spikes sharply on this route.

Key project details and economic impact for Jodhpur

Project documents list Jodhpur as a maintenance-cum-workshop node under the broader Vande Bharat Sleeper programme, where manufacturing contracts have gone to BEML, Kinet Railway Solutions and a Titagarh Rail Systems–BHEL consortium. Kinet’s project director has already confirmed that three dedicated depots have been earmarked for their trainsets, including Jodhpur, Bijwasan near Delhi and Thanisandra in the south, indicating that Jodhpur will serve as an anchor for north‑western operations.

Beyond railway logistics, the depot is expected to generate skilled and semi-skilled employment in the Jodhpur region, from mechanical and electrical technicians to cleaning staff, simulator instructors and supply-chain vendors. Local reports suggest the complex will include a training centre to upskill railway personnel on the new sleeper technology, reinforcing Jodhpur’s role as a regional rail hub and adding to earlier investments in a Vande Bharat coach maintenance facility in the division.

Parameter	Detail
Location	Bhagat Ki Kothi, Jodhpur (North Western Railway)
Project Type	Vande Bharat Sleeper maintenance-cum-workshop depot
Estimated Cost	≈ ₹360 crore (Phase I: ₹167 crore, Phase II: ₹195 crore)
Phase I Timeline	Targeted readiness by June 2026
Key Capability	600 m line for 24-coach Vande Bharat Sleeper rake

Why this matters for India’s Vande Bharat Sleeper rollout

The sleeper version of Vande Bharat is central to Indian Railways’ plan to modernise overnight services, combining semi-high speeds with improved comfort and energy efficiency. Trial runs at up to 130 kmph and design refinements have been underway over the past two years, even as manufacturing timelines and launch schedules faced multiple revisions before the first commercial services began on select routes.

Experts say that without matching maintenance ecosystems, such premium trains risk performance slippages and extended downtimes once in regular service. The Jodhpur depot, with its simulators and testing labs, is meant to pre-empt those concerns for the north‑west sector by providing dedicated infrastructure instead of relying on older carriage workshops. For passengers between Delhi, Jodhpur and Ahmedabad, that could translate into more consistent services, faster fault rectification and better chances of securing confirmed berths during busy travel windows.