Indian Railways finalises tender for Vande Bharat train sets

The tender was finalised on Medha Servo Drives Ltd for the cost of ₹2,211 crore for 44 rakes of 16 cars each. These will be manufactured at three Production units of Indian Railways.

Indian Railways has finalised the tender for Vande Bharat type train sets for 44 rakes of 16 car each.

Workers on contract for Indian Railways, erect infrastructure for drawing electric cable lines over railway tracks for use by locomotives on the outskirts of Bangalore on January 15, 2021. (Photo by Manjunath Kiran / AFP) (AFP)

In an official release on Friday, the Railways Ministry informed that the tender for design, development, manufacture, supply, integration, testing and commissioning of IGBT based 3-phase propulsion, control and other equipment for 'Vande Bharat' type train sets has been finalised for 44 rakes of 16 car each on Thursday.

The tender was finalised on Medha Servo Drives Ltd for the cost of ₹2,211 crore for 44 rakes of 16 cars each. These will be manufactured at three Production units of Indian Railways.

The procurement includes five years comprehensive annual maintenance contract with the supplier and the specifications were prepared after multiple deliberations with the industry at various levels for manufacturing the train sets indigenously.

For the first time, the tender required a minimum of 75 per cent local content requirement of the total value of the tender with an aim to give a boost to 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat' mission, said the Railways Ministry.

"The delivery schedule for supply of these rakes is - first 2 prototype rakes will be delivered in 20 months, thereafter on successful commissioning, the firm will be delivering an average of 6 rakes per quarter.," the ministry said.