Indian Railway’s Vande Bharat tender for 200 aluminum train rakes attracts five renowned firms

The Indian Ministry of Railways had placed down a requirement for 200 rakes of the Vande Bharat in a bid amounting to INR 26,000 crores. Five eminent companies have shown immense interest in the project: BML, RVNL, BHEL, ALSTOM INDIA and MEDHA.

These Vande Bharat train rakes are going to be all sleeper class, and the job needs to be completed within 24 to 30 months. Nevertheless, each coach would be 2-3 tonnes lighter than the previously operating trains only because of the use of aluminium as raw material.

Aluminium is lighter than steel and is an anti-corrosive, malleable material perfect for creating car bodies. The Vande Bharat coaches feature an all-aluminium body making it a lightweight vehicle. Meant for only sleeper class travel, the trains would be sustainable enough because the aluminium used can be recycled at the end of the vehicle’s lifecycle. Moreover, recycled aluminium can display the properties of the actual non-ferrous metal circulating it in the production loop for a longer time than any other metal.

These trains will have all the modern features imaginable in a new-age vehicle, like, unlimited Wi-Fi access inside the coaches. Each coach would have digital boards where the passenger information would be presented. These LED screens can also provide a passenger with the luxury of entertainment or the necessary media information.

These newly formulated Vande Bharat aluminium coaches will come equipped with a photo-catalytic ultraviolet air purification system that will act as a sieve for the inside air. The trains would also feature highly enhanced fire sensors, GPS systems and CCTV cameras so that the travel data can be recorded for use in case of an unpredicted incident.

As early as July this year, the 26,000 crores tender bid was released by the Ministry of Railway. The standard of the contract is exceptionally high because even without the slightest mention, it can be understood the desired spectrum set by the Indian Railway Board is beyond anything that has ever been created in India.

All the aluminium rakes will be presented with a high-end safety feature that includes the KAVACH, an indigenously assembled Train Collision Avoidance System. Railway officials are very optimistic about these new models, and they claim; these recent advancements might change the face of Indian Railways forever.

The Vande Bharat Express train would completely alter the idea of interstate travel in India. These modernised aluminium trains would inevitably compete with its arch nemesis, the aeroplanes.