Lone Bidder For Ambitious Rs 2,700 Crore Train-20 Project

The global bidding for the ambitious, Rs 2,700-crore project to manufacture 291 aluminium-bodied coaches has drawn only one consortium.

Though the pre-bid conference had attracted about seven global players and the last date for bid submission was extended from January 29 to February 6, the Stradler-Medha consortium emerged as the only bidder after final submission, it is reliably learnt.

Among others, one of the pre-conditions for the bid was that the manufacturer should have an existing Make in India facility for bidding.

To be manufactured at the Integrated Coach Factory near Chennai, the project, known as Train-20, aims to roll out 15 lightweight aluminium-bodied trainsets, a first for Indian Railways. Till now, the Railways has had steel coaches.

A trainset 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 trainsets as compared to trains hauled by locomotives.

Currently, the authorities are examining the technical aspects of the bid documents submitted by the only consortium comprising Swiss train manufacturer Stradler and Indian rolling-stock maker Medha. This will be followed by the financial evaluation of the bid. Read More…

Indian Railways