Alstom has bagged the prestigious order worth over Rs 36,000 crore for making 100 aluminium bodied Vande Bharat trains with Sleeper facility and a speed of 200 kmph.
There were only two major rolling stock giants — Alstom and Medha who were in the race for manufacturing 100 lightweight Vande Bharat trains.
Both were technically qualified and the finance bid was opened on 30 May.
While Alstom has quoted Rs 150.9 crore for making one aluminium bodied Vande Bharat with Sleeper facility and became the lowest bidder, Medha quoted Rs 169 crore and lost out to the former.
Alstom is expected to manufacture the train at the Railways’ facility of Sonepat in Haryana.With the provision of 35 years of maintenance, the order is estimated to cost Rs 36,200 crore without tax and price variation clause.
According to the Railways, it would be India’s first train made of aluminium.
This is for the first time, the Railways is opting for an aluminum coach with Sleeper facility for Vande Bharat trains. The 16-coach light weight Vande Bharat would be designed for maximum speed of 220 kmph and operational speed of 200 kmph.
While Alstom has not partnered with any one, Medha is understood to have tied up with the Swiss company Stadler for the ambitious project.
Like other Vande Bharat trains, the light weight ones will also have a distributed power system. The manufacturer of 16-coach light weight Vande Bharat will also be maintaining the trains for 35 years.
Indian Railways has already issued a contract to RVNL-JSC Metrowagonmash-Mytischi (TMH) JV for manufacturing 120 Vande Bharat steel-based trains with a sleeper facility,