A consortium led by Titagarh Rail Systems Limited (TRSL) and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) on June 14 signed a contract to manufacture 80 fully assembled Vande Bharat sleeper train sets by 2029 and maintain them for a period of 35 years.
It is for the first time ever that Indian Railways has entrusted an Indian consortium with a contract of significant worth. The estimated value of this contract is Rs 24,000 crore.
Under the Make in India programme initiated by the government, the Vande Bharat trains mark a notable stride forward for Indian Railways. Out of all the participating consortia in the tender process, it was the TRSL-BHEL consortium that stood as the sole AatmaNirbhar (self-reliant) entity and was consequently granted the project.
TRSL Vice Chairman & Managing Director Umesh Chowdhary said, "We are committed to becoming a modest contributor to the Prime Minister's AatmaNirbhar vision. Vande Bharat train has revolutionized the way we travel, and we are proud to be a part of the government’s Make in India initiative."
"The order shall be carried out over a span of six years, wherein the first prototype shall be delivered within a two-year timeframe, after which the remaining deliveries will take place," he added.
The Vande Bharat sleeper trains will undergo their assembly, testing, and commissioning at the railway facilities in Chennai. Each train will consist of 16 coaches, providing an estimated capacity to accommodate 887 passengers. These trains will be engineered to achieve a maximum speed of 160 kilometres per hour.
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