ICF to launch third rake of Vande Bharat Express in March 2022

08 Nov 2021 CW Team

The Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai has planned to begin the third rake of Vande Bharat Express in March 2022.

Suneet Sharma, Chairman of Railway Board, inspected the ongoing work of the much-awaited manufacturing project of 102 Vande Bharat trains across India.

A senior official of ICF told the media that the shells of the least five trains of Vande Bharat are in the final stage to be completed. Electrics are expected to be fitted in a few months, with plans to begin one rake by March 2022.

The first couple of takes of India's first semi-high speed trains, Train18, was rolled out in 2018 by ICF, which is now being operated as Vande Bharat Expresses on the Delhi-Varanasi-Delhi and Delhi-Katra-Delhi routes.

After PM Modi announced the operation of 75 Vande Bharat trains on Independence Day this year, the Ministry of Railway invited bids for manufacturing 58 rakes, 16 coaches each. Bids were also invited for the manufacture of 44 rakes.

From the 58 rakes, ICF Chennai would roll out 30, 14 from Modern Coach Factory Raebareli and 14 from Rail Coach Factory Kapurthala.

During the last tender, the Railway Board insisted on compiling the Public Procurement Order 2017. It said that there was enough load capacity and competition in supplying the tendered item in the required quantity, so Public Procurement is restricted to Class-I Local Suppliers.

Suneet, along with other ICF General Manager A K Agarwal and others, inspected the work at Vande Bharat Express. They were satisfied with the progress and urged the team of ICF to lead the project from the front.

According to the sources, the Chief Executive Officer had announced an award of Rs 1 lakh to ICF staff for the progressive work.

Image Source

Also read: ICF coaches to be upgraded by Indian Railways under project Utkrisht

Infrastructure Urban

06 Apr 2026

InsideFPV Delivers ₹10 Crore Kamikaze Drone Order Under MoD’s EPR Route

InsideFPV, a Surat-based drone technology manufacturer, has successfully executed a ₹10 crore defence contract to supply indigenous kamikaze drones under the Ministry of Defence’s Emergency Procurement Route (EPR). The company completed the delivery of hundreds of FPV kamikaze drone platforms within a rapid two-month timeframe, highlighting its ability to meet urgent military procurement timelines.The supply orders were fulfilled under the emergency procurement mechanism, which is aimed at fast-tracking acquisitions for immediate operational needs. InsideFPV’s quick execution reflects it..

Vedanta Resources Secures Fitch Upgrade to ‘BB-’, Best Rating Since 2015

Vedanta Resources Limited (VRL), a global player in metals, oil & gas, critical minerals, power and technology, has received a credit rating upgrade from Fitch Ratings, marking its strongest bond rating in over a decade.Fitch has raised Vedanta Resources’ Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to ‘BB-’ from ‘B+’, while maintaining a Stable Outlook. The agency also upgraded VRL’s senior unsecured rating, along with the ratings of US dollar-denominated bonds issued by Vedanta Resources Finance II Plc and guaranteed by VRL, to ‘BB-’.The upgrade represents Vedan..

NAREDCO NextGen NCR Chapter Launched

The NAREDCO NextGen NCR Chapter was recently launched at Excelerate 2026 in Mumbai, marking a key step towards integrating emerging real estate leaders from the National Capital Region with the national platform. The initiative aims to promote sustainable and responsible urban development through collaboration and knowledge exchange.The event brought together young developers, entrepreneurs, and professionals from across NCR, including Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Bhiwadi, and Meerut. Discussions focused on urban development, finance, sustainability, innovation, and policy, emphasisi..