An RTI inquiry by activist Sanjay Izhava uncovered that the actual cost of building a Vande Bharat Express is Rs 104.35 crore, with each coach priced at Rs 6.52 crore, as per information from the Integral Coach Factory, Chennai. With 408 coaches built by August 2023, the total cost amounts to Rs 2732.72 crore. Comparatively, the Shatabdi Express, with a construction cost of Rs 47.45 crores, raises questions about why Vande Bharat's production expenses are 237.16% higher.