NEW DELHI: Railways may not go for aluminum-bodied Vande Bharat trains with sleeper facility because of high cost and considering that no Indian company has the knowhow. It’s instead planning to manufacture 24-coach sleeper version of these modern trains that can travel at higher speeds.
Sources said besides high cost, manufacture of these trains with aluminium coaches requires import of foreign technology.They added that focus is on bringing down prices and use of indigenous technologies.
Last year, railways had cancelled its Rs 30,000 crore tender for procuring 100 Vande Bharat trains with aluminium coaches after it found the cost quoted by lowest bidder Alstom India was high. Sources said the French rolling stock company had quoted Rs 150.9 crore per trainset, but railways’ tender panel had recommended that the price shouldn’t be more than Rs 140 crore. They said Alstom India had intended to close the deal for approximately Rs 145 crore per trainset. But no agreement could be reached and the tender was cancelled. Prior to this, railways had bid out a contract to manufacture 200 Vande Bharat sleeper trainsets at Rs 120 crore per rake.
Aluminum-bodied trainsets were chosen by railways and it had floated a tender last year since these are lower in weight and more energy efficient than standard stainless steel. Till now the national transporter has awarded contracts to procure 102 Vande Bharat with chair cars and another 200 with sleeper facility.
An Alstom spokesperson said the company’s offer for 100 aluminium trains was a very competitive offer, and the lowest when benchmarked against similar trains produced globally.
Sources said besides high cost, manufacture of these trains with aluminium coaches requires import of foreign technology.They added that focus is on bringing down prices and use of indigenous technologies.
Last year, railways had cancelled its Rs 30,000 crore tender for procuring 100 Vande Bharat trains with aluminium coaches after it found the cost quoted by lowest bidder Alstom India was high. Sources said the French rolling stock company had quoted Rs 150.9 crore per trainset, but railways’ tender panel had recommended that the price shouldn’t be more than Rs 140 crore. They said Alstom India had intended to close the deal for approximately Rs 145 crore per trainset. But no agreement could be reached and the tender was cancelled. Prior to this, railways had bid out a contract to manufacture 200 Vande Bharat sleeper trainsets at Rs 120 crore per rake.
Aluminum-bodied trainsets were chosen by railways and it had floated a tender last year since these are lower in weight and more energy efficient than standard stainless steel. Till now the national transporter has awarded contracts to procure 102 Vande Bharat with chair cars and another 200 with sleeper facility.
An Alstom spokesperson said the company’s offer for 100 aluminium trains was a very competitive offer, and the lowest when benchmarked against similar trains produced globally.