Indian Railways Will Buy ‘Readymade’ Trains From Private Companies; 320 Vande Bharat Type Trains Will Be Rolled Out
Indian Railways all set to privatize their routes and trains, is no more of a mouth-jawing news anymore. We’ve been bringing you news pieces regarding the same, all the privatization steps and pile-ups since some time now. With news as big as Shatabdi Express and Rajdhani Express to soon operated by private operators, to privatization of railways in India, we all come together and landed here.
As per our latest knowledge, the Indian Railways is talking and contemplating over the idea of procuring ready-made trains, instead of building them in our production units. In a recent high-level meeting between official dignitaries of the Indian Railways, a conclusion was hit to keep in consideration a view, of procuring complete trainsets from trade, instead of manufacturing them at production units.
Trainsets Could be Purchased by Trade
With it already stepping itself into the sectors of privatization, the Indian Railways recently bagged out a decision to consider buying ready-made trainsets from private players, instead of manufacturing the same at our production units.
This was the main agenda of a recent meeting, involving the Union Minister of Railways, Piyush Goyal and Minister of State of Railways, Suresh C. Angadi, along with top officials and manufacturers of trains and coach components held in New Delhi. They came to a conclusion that procurement of Trainsets, Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) and Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) from private players should be taken into consideration.
As of now, the rakes for the Railways are procured from three production units – the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) Chennai, Mordern Coach Factory (MCF) Raebareli and Rail Coach Factory (RCF) Kapurthala. In a way, this would lead the Indian Railways towards selecting the right global technology available in the respective field.
Indian Railways to Roll Out 2,000 Rakes
The held meeting also revealed to plan the roll-out of over 2,000 rakes, including 320 Vande Bharat Express types of trains and 124 rakes for Kolkata Metro, all in the next three years’ time. In fact, they also stick firmly by the idea of procuring all of their trainsets and other propulsion units, complying with the ‘Make in India’ policy.
The distant idea of procuring ready-made trainsets from private holders, instead of building them manually, is bringing a nightmare to the section of employees of devoted towards the production and ancillary units of railways. They believe that such a move could result into them being jobless. They are thousands in number.
The officials are in the talks of stop the production of train at the ICF but at a nascent stage. ICF, the world’s largest coach factory has rolled out the Vande Bharat Express, with coaches based on the German technology and the conventional blue ICF-designed coaches that are operated across the country. It also builds coaches for the Indian army.
Buying ready-made trains is not a new thing with the Indian Railways but procuring them through trade, has always led to burning down exorbitant prices.
Piyush Goyal says that modernization of trains is a continuous process. The introduction of Vande Bharat trainsets was a path-breaking achievement. Steps have already been initiated towards acquiring technology for the manufacture of aluminum body coaches in railway factories.
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