Made in India wheels to run Vande Bharat trains; to be manufactured in Bengaluru
The ministry also aims to get surplus wheels for not just the 75 trainsets that it has to assemble by August 15, 2023
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New Delhi, May 7: As India’s plans of importing wheels for Vande Bharat trains got stalled due to the Ukraine-Russia conflict, Indian Railways has now decided to manufacture them at Yelahanka in Bangalore.
Ukraine is one of the largest manufacturers of wheels and gets bulk of its orders from the European Union for wheels of freight railcars. Currently about 20 factories worldwide manufacture these wheels, officials said.
Indian Railways will begin manufacturing the wheels at the Railway Wheel Factory (RWF) in Yelahanka, which has already floated tenders for parts required to start manufacturing. It is expected to complete the production in the next couple months, said officials. The factory has been manufacturing axles for these wheels, also the imported ones.
The wheels are expected to be brought to Chennai in batches between May 15 and May 20 and taken to the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) where trainsets are being assembled.
The ministry aims to get surplus wheels for not just the 75 trainsets that it has to assemble by August 15, 2023, but also for the next lot.
“The wheels will land from Romania in time for trials of the trains and the orders that we have subsequently given to two other companies abroad will also reach us by next month. So, we are most likely to have many trainsets ready by June-July this year,” the official added.
The war halted manufacturing of wheels for the rakes in Ukraine but the first batch of 128 wheels, out of a cumulative order for 36,000 at a cost of US$ 16 million, was especially transported from Ukraine to Romania by road, which is likely to be airlifted to India by the 3rd vweek of May.
Indian Railways will begin manufacturing the wheels at the Railway Wheel Factory (RWF) in Yelahanka, which has already floated tenders for parts required to start manufacturing. It is expected to complete the production in the next couple months, said officials. The factory has been manufacturing axles for these wheels, also the imported ones.
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The railway ministry held meetings with External Affairs Ministry over the supply of the wheels for the Vande Bharat trains, a pet project of PM Modi. In the Union Budget for 2022-23, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced that 400 new Vande Bharat trains will be developed and manufactured over the next three years. The target is to roll out 75 such trains by August 15, 2023, according to a timeline announced by PM Modi.
The wheels are expected to be brought to Chennai in batches between May 15 and May 20 and taken to the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) where trainsets are being assembled.
The ministry aims to get surplus wheels for not just the 75 trainsets that it has to assemble by August 15, 2023, but also for the next lot.
“The wheels will land from Romania in time for trials of the trains and the orders that we have subsequently given to two other companies abroad will also reach us by next month. So, we are most likely to have many trainsets ready by June-July this year,” the official added.