After successfully launching the country's first semi high-speed Train 18, Indian Railways started working on 'Train-20', the next generation sleeper-class train.
Train-20 will have an aluminium body and fully air-conditioned interiors. It will be operated by a self-propulsion module and will have a potential speed of 160 kmph.
The Modern Coach Factory, Raebareli has already invited tenders for suppliers of aluminium for Train-20.
This train will have all modern facilities, such as automatic doors, CCTV cameras, diffused lighting and a GPS-based passenger information system, said Railway Minister Piyush Goyal.
Train 20 is likely to replace Rajdhani Express, and will be used for long journeys, as it has sleeper class. The first Train-20s are set to be rolled out by the end of 2020.
Train-20 will be manufactured in India under the Make In India programme. Since several Indian industries have the technology to produce the aluminium, the cost of production of train will also be less, Railway Board member Rajesh Agarwal.
The Train-18, 80% of whose components were Indian, was produced at a cost of Rs 93 crore. Similarly, the components of Train-20 will also use a maximum of Indian components.
The aluminium body will ensure that the train will consume only one-third of the energy the usual trains do.