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.

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

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