The Ministry of Railways started the bidding process for 44 train sets in July. Six companies including a JV of Chinese CRRC Corporation had shown interest. Railways has now cancelled the entire process and fresh tenders will be invited, wherein no Chinese firm won't be allowed to participate.
Tender for manufacturing of 44 sets of semi high-speed train sets, to be run as luxurious Vande Bharat Express, has been cancelled after it emerged that a Chinese Joint Venture was the only foreign company that took part in the bidding process.
A fresh tender will be floated within a week as per Revised Public Procurement order. Preference will be given to "Make in India" in the revised bidding process.
The Ministry of Railways started the bidding process for 44 train sets in July. Six companies including a JV of Chinese CRRC Corporation had shown interest. Five other companies were Indian including Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd.
Railways has now cancelled the entire process and fresh tenders will be invited, wherein no Chinese firm won't be allowed to participate.
Train 18, which was launched last year as the first Vande Bharat, was made by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai. Currently, there are two semi-high speed Vande Bharat trains, running runs between New Delhi and Varanasi, and between New Delhi and Katra.
The Indian Railways plans to launch 44 more such trains and has started the bidding process for the same. Under the financial bidding process, six big companies had submitted their bids.
The tender was issued for procuring propulsion systems or electric traction kits for 44 trains to function as the Vande Bharat Express or Train 18.
Indigenously built Train 18 was launched at an expense of Rs 100 crore out of which Rs 35 crore was for the propulsion system alone. Considering this, the tender or 44 such kits would be worth over Rs 1,500 crore.
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 "File Photo: New Delhi-Varanasi Vande Bharat Express was launched in Feb, 2019")
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