Indian Railway Minister Explains Scientific Reasoning Behind Orange Vande Bharat Trains

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently addressed the question of whether there was a political motive behind the launch of orange-colored Vande Bharat trains. He firmly refuted any such notion and explained that the choice of orange color was driven by scientific reasoning.

According to Vaishnaw, orange and yellow are considered the most visible colors to the human eye. This choice is not unique to India; in fact, in Europe, approximately 80% of trains are either orange or a combination of yellow and orange for this very reason. He emphasized that while there are other bright colors like silver, orange and yellow stand out the most when it comes to visibility.

The Minister stressed that there is no political agenda behind the color choice; it is purely based on scientific principles. He drew parallels to other safety-related equipment, such as black boxes in aircraft and ships, which are often painted orange for enhanced visibility. Even rescue boats and life jackets used by organizations like the National Disaster Response Force are typically orange in color.

The Indian Railways introduced its first Vande Bharat train with an orange-grey color scheme on September 24, running between Kasaragod and Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. This launch was part of a broader initiative in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated nine Vande Bharat trains via a video conference.

The choice of orange for these trains is not merely aesthetic but a deliberate selection aimed at ensuring the safety and visibility of these trains, aligning with international practices in the transportation industry.