The government has planned to manufacture 260 rakes of Vande Bharat Sleeper trainsets as part of efforts to upgrade long-distance rail travel with advanced safety systems and passenger comfort features, according to Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.The programme will be executed in phases covering prototype development, testing, trials and series production. The sleeper variant is being developed through a coordinated manufacturing effort involving BEML, Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai and technology partners.

According to the official statement, the “development of new rolling stocks like Vande Sleeper necessitates a holistic approach, combining technological innovation, strategic planning and manufacturing to ensure a safe, reliable and comfortable travel.”The government said induction of Vande Bharat Sleeper trainsets into passenger services will be carried out in phases based on demand and operational readiness.“The process involves development of prototype, extensive testing and trials followed by series production,” the statement said.The project is part of the broader push to enhance passenger experience while improving operational efficiency and safety standards across the railway network.The new sleeper trainsets are being equipped with multiple advanced safety and passenger-centric features.These include semi-permanent jerk-free couplers and anti-climbers, KAVACH safety systems, and crashworthy coach design complying with EN safety standards. The trainsets will have fire barrier doors, aerosol-based fire detection and suppression systems in electrical cabinets and lavatories, and CCTV coverage across all coaches.The trains will also feature regenerative braking systems for energy efficiency and higher acceleration with a design speed of 180 kmph and operating speed of 160 kmph.Passenger comfort upgrades include centrally controlled automatic plug doors, fully sealed wider gangways, centrally monitored coach systems, and air-conditioning units fitted with indigenously developed UV-C lamp-based disinfection technology to improve hygiene inside coaches.Special provisions have been made for Divyangjan passengers, including dedicated lavatories in driving coaches, along with emergency talk-back units for passenger communication with the train manager or loco pilot during emergencies.

New Delhi: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has deactivated more than 2.5 crore Aadhaar numbers of deceased persons till date. This is as part of a nationwide clean-up effort to maintain the continued accuracy and integrity of the Aadhaar database, Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Shri Jitin Prasada in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

Aadhaar is the world’s largest biometric identity system with approximately 134 crores live Aadhaar holders.

In case of the death of a person, it is essential that his/her Aadhaar number is deactivated to prevent potential identity fraud, or unauthorized usage of such Aadhaar number for availing welfare benefits.

The State / UT mentioned in the address of an Aadhaar number holder in the Aadhaar database may vary from the State / UT where death was registered.

Measures to prevent potential identity fraud

Government has said that several measures have been taken to reduce the risk of identity fraud and ensure leak-proof delivery of benefits in the country. 

The key measures include: 

Biometric Lock/Unlock feature enables an Aadhaar number holder to “Lock” his biometrics, preventing any unauthorized authentication attempts.

Aadhaar Lock/Unlock feature for an Aadhaar number holder.

Deployment of Face Authentication having ‘Liveness Detection feature’ to prevent spoofing and ensure the physical presence of the beneficiary during transactions.

Offline Verification: Promotion of Aadhaar Secure QR Code, Aadhaar paperless offline e-KYC, e-Aadhaar and Aadhaar verifiable credentials for offline identity verification.

No sharing of Core Biometric information of Aadhaar number holders in any manner by UIDAI.

Secure Data Storage: Mandatory use of Aadhaar Data Vaults by all requesting entities to store Aadhaar numbers in an encrypted format.

Database Sanitization: Regular de-duplication and deactivation of Aadhaar numbers belonging to deceased persons.

Updation of demographic details of an Aadhaar number holder is allowed only as per documents listed by UIDAI.

UIDAI has launched a new Aadhaar app which facilitates sharing of verified credentials by Aadhaar number holder with the Offline Verification Seeking Entities (OVSE) in a secure and seamless manner.