INDIAN Railways (IR) accord a contract to design, manufacture and supply propulsion systems and other electrical components for 44 16-car EMUs, with Hyderabad-based Medha Servo Drives of Rupees 21.1bn ($US 289m)
The new contract is expected to delay the introduction of the 160km/h trains by around 5 years. The first two prototypes might be delivered 20 months after the contract is signed in February, with deliveries subsequently continuing at a charge of six trains per quarter, the contract includes 5 years’ maintenance.
Based on the schedule included within the tender, the first new train will roll out by mid-2023, with all 44 because of being completed by late 2024.
The fleet is just like the two T-18 trains manufactured by the Integral Coach Manufacturing unit (ICF) in Chennai in affiliation with the Medha Servo Drives, which provided the propulsion programs. The trains entered service in 2019. New specs will permit for quicker acceleration, with the contract with Medha Servo Drives additionally together with a new clause to provide bogies for the trains.
Like the two earlier T-18 trains, that is now working on two routes on IR’s mainline network, the new trains could have eight powered cars, 4 trailer cars, and two non-driving trailer coaches utilizing a 50% powering method.
The trains will proceed to be outfitted with air-conditioning, automated exterior doorways and inside doorways between the coaches, retractable footsteps, and a passenger information system.
Former ICF chief, Mr. Sudhanshu Mani, who’s generally known as the “T-18 Man,” says the “design modifications stipulated within the new tender appear largely pointless, as these are unlikely to translate into demonstrable enhancements within the operating of the trains.”
In step with the government’s “Atma Nirbhar Bharat” (Self Reliant India) technique, the contract stipulates that 75% of the entire value of the tender has to be local content. The trains will be manufactured at IR’s three production sites, with 24 units as a result of being constructed at ICF, 10 on the Rail Coach Factory at Kapurthala, and the remaining 10 on the Modern Coach Factory at Rae Bareli.
ICF constructed the primary two T-18 EMUs in February 2019 following an 18-month development interval. Serial manufacturing stalled in 2019 as a result of public controversies involving senior ministry officers over the design concept, whereas circumstances have been also filed towards officers’ main undertaking.
Fresh bids were invited in December 2019, however the course of again as a result of “improperly submitted paperwork.” The ultimate tender was invited in September 2020, the delay in finalizing the T-18 plan has had one other adverse fallout, with plans to manufacture higher-speed, lighter aluminum-bodied T-20 EMUs seemingly shelved.
