Bengaluru, often dubbed India’s slowest city in terms of traffic movement, is set to manufacture the country’s first high-speed train.
The Integral Coach Factory (ICF) invited a tender on September 5 to manufacture two chair-car high-speed trains. The stainless steel carbody trains will have a maximum speed of 280 kmph and an operational speed of 250 kmph. The last date for bid submission was September 19 (Thursday).
Trainsets will be manufactured at BEML's plant in Bengaluru. U Subba Rao, general manager of ICF, Chennai, told Moneycontrol: “Only BEML has submitted the bid to manufacture two eight-car train sets, and the tender will be finalised in a week. Since it is a small order for just two trains, other rolling stock manufacturers were not keen to participate. Our target is to complete the manufacturing in 2.5 years.”
While the exact amount quoted by BEML-Medha Servo Drives is unclear, it is likely in the range of Rs 200-Rs 250 crore per train. These trains will operate on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor, which is being developed by the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL).
The 508 km MAHSR will connect Mumbai, Maharashtra, with Ahmedabad, Gujarat, through 12 stations at an estimated cost of Rs. 1.1 lakh crore. Initially, Japanese Shinkansen E5 trains, capable of running at a maximum speed of 350 kmph, were planned to operate on the line with an operational speed of 320 kmph and an average speed of 250 kmph. However, due to the high prices quoted by Japanese firms, the Union Ministry of Railways decided to develop high-speed trains domestically.
“With BEML’s carbody building expertise and Medha’s propulsion system capabilities, an indigenous high-speed train meeting European standards can be built. Medha’s proven propulsion system is already powering the Vande Bharat trains, which run at a maximum speed of 160 Kmph,” said an official.
Medha will now develop a propulsion system capable of 250 Kmph, while BEML will develop the carbody structure to withstand such speed. BEML-Medha is expected to hire a European design consultant for the project.
Also, read: Indian Railways invites bids for development of trainset capable of running at 250 km/hr
The first train, with a design speed of 280 Kmph and an operational speed of 250 Kmph, is expected to roll out by December 2026, with trials set to take place on the Surat-Bilimora section of the MAHSR line.
The train will have seven cars with a standard 3+2 seating arrangement and one executive car with 2+2 seating. “The total seating capacity is expected to be around 530. Depending on passenger demand, more cars could be added, extending the train to 12 or even 16 cars in the future. The trains will be built for standard gauge tracks, with an eye on export markets such as Southeast Asia and Africa,” the source said.
Medha will manufacture the propulsion system and develop the Train Control and Management System (TCMS) software from its Hyderabad facility. BEML will handle final assembly and the rollout from its Bengaluru factory. “After successful trials, additional orders are likely for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route and other upcoming high-speed rail lines, such as Delhi-Varanasi, Mumbai-Hyderabad, and Bengaluru-Chennai,” the official added.
Also, read: India’s first Vande Bharat sleeper train likely to be operational by year-end
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