Scrapping of train set tender to delay Indian Railways’ engine-less trains

29 Mar 2018

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Indian Railways plans to introduce engine-less trains for inter-city travelhave hit a hurdle. The swanky, new trains that will run at speeds of 160 kmph and gradually replace the Shatabdi Express trains, are unlikely to start operating any soon.

The railways had planned to start running its first self-propelled semi-high speed train for intercity travel in June 2018. However, the state-run transporter has been forced to scrap its global tender for a Rs2,700-crore project to manufacture aluminium-bodied train sets amidst criticism of the tender conditions that went against the interests of domestic manufacturers and the Modi government’s `make in India’ policy.
The railway ministry decided to float a new tender and turn down the single bid received for the tender.
The Railways had planned to begin trials of its first self-propelled semi-high speed train for intercity travel in June 2018. These trains will run at speeds of around 160 kmph and will gradually replace the Shatabdi Express trains.
The schedule is likely to change with the new tender being floated. The new tender, when it is floated, is expected to be in line with the Modi government’s public procurement order promoting the Make in India initiative.
“The ambitious train set project will be re-tendered with revised bidding conditions and an enhanced work order to enable wider participation from interested domestic players,” said a senior railway ministry official.
A train set is a set of coaches coupled mechanically and electrically with driving cabins at both ends and distributed traction power across the train. The acceleration and deceleration is faster in train sets as compared to trains hauled by locomotives.
The Chennai-based Integral Coach Factory (ICF) had floated the global tender for manufacture and supply 291 aluminium-bodied coaches.
While the pre-bid conference attracted about seven global manufacturers, only one consortium — Stradler-Medha, comprising Swiss train manufacturer Stradler and Indian rolling-stock maker Medha — bid for the project despite the fact that the last date for bid submission was extended from 29 January to 6 February.
Reports said several bidders opted out as certain pre-bidding conditions, including one that stipulated that every bidder should have existing India facilities, and insistence on five-year experience of supplying to G8 countries.
In a letter to Railway Board chairman Ashwani Lohani, the department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP) had raised objections to the tender, observing that the bidding conditions were not in line with the government’s public procurement policy.
DIPP sought clarifications from the Railways after Titagarh Wagons Ltd, one of the largest private sector railway wagon manufacturers in India, wrote to the department drawing its attention to the violation of the public procurement order which resulted in elimination of other players.
DIPP, in its letter, pointed out, “The stipulated requirement that the bidder should have prior experience in supplying to G8 countries in the last five years would most certainly go against the domestic manufactures and in favour of a restricted number of global players — there is no justification for taking supply to G8 countries as a condition.” The railway ministry took note of the DIPP's observation and decided to go for a fresh tender.
The new tender will have revised bidding conditions and an enhanced work order, enabling wider participation by interested players, sources close to the development said. The work order is expected to increase up to 500 train set coaches instead of just 291. 
Proposed to be manufactured at ICF, the ambitious project, known as Train-20, envisages rolling out 291 lightweight aluminium-bodied train set coaches, a first in Indian Railways. The train sets are equipped with improved passenger comforts, automatic door system and 160 km per hour maximum speed. They will have both seating and sleeper berths and are expected to run on Rajdhani routes.
Some of the features of these swanky trains include:
  • Train 18 as these will be called are 100-per cent 'Make in India' project initiative;
  • These are being made at ICF in Chennai, which claims that it will be manufactured at half the cost of a similar train;
  • The set of train will feature 16 chair-car type coaches, namely executive and non-executive;
  • There will be two executive chair cars and 14 non-executive, having seating capacity for 56 and 78 passenger, respectively;
  • These classy, new trains will feature stainless steel car body with LHB as the base design. Also, Train 18 will have continuous windows unlike normal trains;
  • Apart from comfortable seats, the train’s interiors will also have diffused lighting;
  • Wi-Fi and infotainment will also be made available along with GPS-based passenger information system;
  • Another prime feature of Train 18 will be the automatic doors and footsteps along with facility of a sliding footstep. Automatic interconnecting doors are also provided for easy movement;
  • Some of the other passenger-friendly facilities are halogen-free rubber-on-rubber flooring;
  • It will also have zero discharge bio-vacuum modular toilets having touch-free fittings;
  • There will be more luggage space for the convenience of passengers;
  • It will have driving cabins at both the ends and all the coaches will be inter-connected;
  • Wheelchairs for disabled passengers are another prime feature of Train 18 coaches;
  • The train will feature all the latest technology for a better travel experience;
  • There will be no engine reversal requirements.

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