Companies and consortiums catering to the locomotive and equipment requirements of Indian Railways will see plenty of orders coming to them in the upcoming months.

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Sudhanshu Mani, a railway professional and the visionary behind Vande Bharat Express trains, said in an exclusive interview withCNBC-TV18 that railway stocks may see a lot of orders flowing their way in the next few months.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 19th Motilal Oswal Annual Global Investor Conference, Mani stated that Indian railways has placed orders to manufacture 200 Vande Bharat train and this will start in 2025 and go on for next four years.

According to HSBC Global Research, the CJSC Transmashholding and Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (TMH-RVNL) consortium has emerged as the lowest bidder with a bid of Rs 1.20 billion per trainset. This consortium has received a 120 trainset contract. Another consortium — BHEL and Titagarh was the second-lowest bidder in the tender, and it has received an 80 trainset contract for the lowest bidder’s price of Rs 1.20 billion per trainset.

In addition, Mani added, “Another 200 trains after 125 or so are completed by Integral Coach Factory are also in the offing for which tenders will be floated very soon for acquiring the components and equipment.”

Diving deeper into the forthcoming orders, Mani revealed that in the upcoming months, a substantial tender is on the horizon for 200 sets of Vande Bharat equipment. This means that established propulsion suppliers like Siemens, Alstom, Medha, Titagarh, and BHEL could potentially vie for this sizable contract, which encompasses not only the propulsion systems but also brake supplies for these 200 trains.

Furthermore, he added that discussions are underway regarding a separate tender for a staggering count of 40,000 regular wagons along with an additional 10,000 specialised wagons designed for higher axle loads. This venture presents a unique opportunity for Indian wagon builders such as Titagarh, TEXMACO, and Jupiter to participate and contribute their expertise.

In another arena, a substantial tender for Kavach systems is in the offing. Presently, three Hyderabad-based companies are the primary suppliers of these systems. Additionally, there exists a parallel discourse concerning civil infrastructure expenditures, involving major players like L&T and other significant infrastructure companies.

Mani highlighted that compared to the traditional trains Vande Bharat Express is one without locomotives. So, it is either a 16-coach or an eight-coach train, but there is no locomotive. All equipment is mounted under the board. It has much faster acceleration and deceleration. So, it can go up to 160 kilometers per hour, so it cuts down travel time.

In addition, the Vande Bharat Express takes passenger experience to the next level. The train boasts a host of passenger amenities including automatic doors, direct communication with the driver, diffused lighting, continuous Wi-Fi, and an array of other features designed for optimal comfort and convenience.

Notably, a much-anticipated sleeper version of the train has been in the works for some time, Mani added. However, this sleeper variant is poised to become a reality with the impending arrival of 200 trains ordered from the private sector, along with an additional 10 ordered from BEML.

The introduction of the sleeper version is imperative as it caters to evolving passenger needs. As routes with a clientele willing to pay higher fares become scarcer, the sleeper version offers a compelling solution. Anticipated to materialise by the middle of next year, the prototype of the sleeper version will pave the way for its swift integration. Initially replacing the Rajdhani routes and enhancing overnight services, this development signals a dynamic shift in the landscape of train travel.

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(Edited by : C H Unnikrishnan)