The Railway Board has given the green light for a maintenance depot dedicated to Vande Bharat train coaches at Tatanagar railway station in Jamshedpur, with an investment of ₹383.78 crore, as announced by BJP MP Bidyut Baran Mahato on Friday. This initiative aims to bolster the existing maintenance capabilities of the station to better support high-speed train services.

According to Mahato, the approval was communicated by Sumit Kumar, Director (Projects and Development) at the Railway Board, through an official message. The new depot will be established in the Loco Colony area, expanding the current facilities at Tatanagar’s coaching depot. Railway officials anticipate that this enhancement will significantly increase the maintenance capacity for the Vande Bharat fleet.

The project received approval following a review of a technical proposal from the Chakradharpur division of South Eastern Railway, as noted by Mahato. The facility will feature infrastructure for technical inspections, routine maintenance, and quick washing of Vande Bharat Chair Car and Sleeper rakes.

Currently, Vande Bharat Express services are available from Tatanagar to Patna in Bihar and Berhampur in Odisha. The new depot is expected to provide dedicated maintenance support for these operations and facilitate future expansions of high-speed services from Tatanagar.

Furthermore, Mahato highlighted that the project is set to create job opportunities for the local youth, thereby stimulating economic growth in the region. The investment in railway infrastructure is anticipated to enhance services related to train maintenance and operations.

In a related initiative, Mahato has also proposed the construction of four additional platforms and a loop line at Tatanagar under the PM Gati Shakti scheme, responding to the increasing traffic challenges at the station. This project is estimated to cost ₹482 crore and is currently pending approval from the Railway Board.