Seven Rolling Stock manufacturers secured a contract for 58 new semi-high-speed Vande Bharat trains from Indian Railways.

The seven companies include Medha Servo Drives, Alstom, Siemens, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Titagarh Wagons and Crompton Greaves Limited (CGL).

Medha Servo Drives will manufacture 26 trains, Alstom will manufacture 16 trains and Siemens nine trains. BHEL has received the order for manufacturing four trains.

An official told the media that the companies have high domestic demand and can become a giant in exporting such trains to other countries, and its cost of production is about one-third, compared to other countries. The companies require building capacity and have received the developmental order to emerge as potential players.

The Indian government has a mega plan to launch semi-high-speed Vande Bharat trains on major inter-city rail routes and capital connectivity corridors. Vande Bharat trains will also have a sleeper facility for overnight journeys.

Currently, two Vande Bharat Express trains are operational, and 44 are being manufactured at Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that 400 new semi-high-speed Vande Bharat trains would be rolled out in the next three years.

Vande Bharat Express train will cost around Rs 130 crore.

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Also read: ICF to launch third rake of Vande Bharat Express in March 2022