Indian Railways has reworked its ₹35,000 crore Vande Bharat semi-high speed train tenders.

Instead of 120 train sets, each with 16 coaches, the reworked scope of work will now be for 80 train sets, each with 24 coaches, including pantry cars, and luggage compartments, among others. Each trainset will cost around ₹120 crore.

The manufacturing facility at Latur in Maharashtra will be handed over to a JV of RVNL and a Russian consortium around November this year, with the first prototype expected within a year, sources told businessline.

“Around September 2025, the first of these Vande Bharat prototypes is expected and by November the second prototype is expected. Kinet Railway Solutions will be manufacturing these in a phase-wise manner from Latur,” the official said.

Manufacture of Vande Bharat Trains

Kinet Railway Solutions, a JV between India’s Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL), Russian engineering company Metrowagonmash and Locomotive Electronic Systems (LES) in a 25:70:5 ratio - will be manufacturing these new semi-high speed trains.

According to its terms of incorporation, in April 2023, the JV has a manufacturing and maintenance contract for Vande Bharat trainsets. The contract includes upgrading government manufacturing units and trainset depots.

The initial project details outline the manufacture of 200 Vande Bharat trainsets of the sleeper version, each consisting of 16 cars along with comprehensive maintenance thereof for 35 years. The L1 selected bidder will be required to manufacture and assemble 120 trainsets at Railway’s Marathwada Rail Coach Factory (MRCF) in Latur, while the L2 selected bidder would have to manufacture 80 trainsets at ICF in Chennai.

During a recent post-result analyst call, the RVNL’s top brass said there has been a change in the scope of work for Vande Bharat tenders.

“In May, the Ministry of Railways issued orders for change in scope of work. From 120 trainsets of 16 coaches, the new scope of work will be for 80 trainsets of 24 coaches now including the introduction of new coaches like pantry car and luggage c....Central Railway is in the process of handing over the Latur facility to Kinet (the JV company),” the official said.

According to another RVNL official, for the purpose of mock-up (a model of something to show how the end product looks or works), the company has awarded a border contract to Kineco, a Goa-based firm . The colour scheme. has been submitted.

“The mock-up is in an advanced phase of product completion. And by August one round of inspection should be done,” the official said.

The first batch of 12 Vande Bharat trains is expected in the first year after the prototypes are cleared, followed by 18 trains in the second year. Then onwards there will be deliveries in batches of 25 trainsets (two batches of 25 each).

Maintenance facilities for Vande Bharat trains will be coming up at Jodhpur, Delhi and Bengaluru. “Upgrade work at these facilities willl begin shortly,” a Railway Ministry official said.

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